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13  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEB3TER,N.Y.  MS80 

(716)  872-4503 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series, 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniquas  at  bibliographlques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
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which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


/ 


D 


D 


D 
D 


D 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


r~l    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagde 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurie  et/ou  pellicul^e 


r^    Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  gdographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  au\'re  que  bieue  ou  noire) 


I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relii  avec  d'autres  documents 


Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  serrie  peut  c&user  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distorsion  le  long  de  la  marge  int6rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
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II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajouties 
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mais,  lorsque  cela  itait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6t6  filmies. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppldmentaires; 


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modification  dans  la  mdthode  normale  de  fiimage 
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I      I    Coloured  pages/ 


D 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
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Pages  restored  and/oi 

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Quality  of  prir 

Qualiti  indgale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  materit 
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Only  edition  available/ 
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I      I  Pages  damaged/ 

I      I  Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 

0  Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages 

I      I  Pages  detached/ 

r~~]  Showthrough/ 

I      I  Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I  Includes  supplementary  material/ 

pn  Only  edition  available/ 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
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This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmd  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu^  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


30X 


J 


12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Seminary  of  Quebec 
Library 


L'exemplaire  film*  fut  reproduit  grAce  A  la 
g«n6rosit«  de: 

SAminaire  de  Quebec 
Biblioth^que 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
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Las  images  suivantes  ont  it6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  st 
de  la  netteti  de  l'exemplaire  filmA,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with. a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  axemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimie  sont  fiim6s  en  commenqant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmAs  en  commenqant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ^-  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  — »-  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  ie 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN  ". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
filmis  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diff6rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  4tre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clichA,  il  est  film6  A  partir 
de  Tangle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  i  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Les  diagrammts  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

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AN  ARTICLE 


FROM   THE 


AMERICAN  MONTHLY  MAGAZINE 


!-^> 


ON   THE 


REHOV Ali  OF  THE  INDIANS : 


EXAMINATION   OF 


GOV.  CASS  ON  THE  SAME  SUBJECT  ; 


AND  A  STATEMENT  OF  FACTS, 


y 


IN   REGARD   TO 

THEIR  CIVIL  AND  RELIGIQtl^ 
IMl»ROVEMENT. 


3,   rue  cie  I'Uni varsity, 

r\,yLh^n   A.    OUEo 


m^mi^m 


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P'^^C'^^ 


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THa 


REMOVAL.  OF  THE  INDIANS. 


AN    ARTICLE 


FROM  THE  AMERICAN  MONTHLY  MAGAZINE  : 


AN   EXAMINATION   OF   AN   ARTICLE 


i: 


IN  THE  NORTH  AMERICAN  REVIEW; 


AND    AN   EXHIBITION  OF  THE 


ABVANOEMENT  OF  THE  SOUTHERN  TRIBES, 


IN 


OXVIZiXZATIOIT  AXn>  OBBXSTXAinTV. 


"  Of  all  Injustice,  that  is  tiie  greatest,  which  goes  under  the  name  of  Law ;  and  of  all 
sorts  of  Tyranny,  the  forcing  of  the  letter  of  the  Law  against  the  Equity  is  the  most  insup- 
portable.'' 


BOSTON:    PEIRCK    AND    WILLIAMS. 
1830. 


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THE 


REMOVAL  OF  THE  INDIANS 


1.  AN    ARTICLE     IN    THE     NORTH     AMERICAN     REVIEW,    ON     THE 
REMOVAL    OF    THE    INDIANS,    FOR   JANUARY,    1830. 

2.  THE     LETTERS     OF    'WILLIAM     PENN,'     PUBLISHED     IN     THE 
NATIONAL    INTELLIGENCER. 


We  have  placed  the  titles  of  these  publications  at  the  head  of  this 
paper,  not  because  we  shall  attempt  to  re-state  the  arguments  of  the 
one,  or  to  lav  hare  the  sopliistry  of  the  other.  Both  are  equally  un- 
necessary. 'Those  wlio  will  not  he  convinced  by  ihe  p!am  reasoning 
of  the  latter,  and  are  wining  to  be  blinded  by  the  lalse  principles  of 
the  former,  will  neither  be  confirmed  in  tlie  trutli,  nor  persuaded  to  re- 
nounce their  error,  by  any  additional  proofs  whicli  can  be  urged,  nor 
by  any  clearer  light  which  can  be  poured  upon  the  subject.  We 
believe,  iSlr.  Editor,  that  on  your  part  you  will  never  suffer  the  super- 
cilious advice  of  certain  editorial  critics  to  prevent  your  personal  de- 
cisions in  favor  of  truth  and  morality,  or  to  influence  you  w  rejectnig 
from  your  journal  any  opinions,  however  wholesome,  and  however 
sternly  opposed  to  some  tenets  of  the  present  administratiou. 

Of  this  nature  are  our  opinions  on  the  great  question  in  regard  to 
the  removal  of  the  Indians  ;  and  such  too,  we  believe,  are  the  opmions 
of  all  good  and  honest  men  in  the  country,  who  do  not  suffer  the 
clear  dictates  of  reason  and  conscience  to  be  warped  by  the  motives 
of  personal  avarice  and  party  selfishness,  or  thwarted  by  the  hard 
and  crooked  maxims  of  an  irreligious,  selfish,  abomniable  state 
policy.  We  should  tliink  that  we  exposed  ourselves  to  just  ridicule,  if 
we  should  waste  even  a  moment's  time  in  endeavoring  to  make  mani- 
fest—what is  absolutely  incontrovertible,— the  fearful  importance  of 
this  question,  or  to  prove— what  is  equally  evident— on  which  side  the 
balance  of  truth  and  rectitude  lies.  We  have  examined  sufficiently 
for  our  own  satisfaction,  and  all  the  world  have  had  opportumty  of 
1 


*  Removal  of  the  fndians. 

cominp;  to  a  true  and  impnrtial  decision  by  examininc  for  themselves 

am    ..us   perlorming  vvlnt  is   a   .noral   ,i,„y,  if  ever  anv    duly    was 

moial   and    l..„di,.i;       0„   ,|„s   point,    benevolence,  rea'son,   jnstice, 

onseu-nre    and  ,i.e  Word  ol  God,  .peak  a  voice  'equally   l<i|  „nd 

|) ."..  ,-and  the  vo.ce  ol  prnde..ce,  liberal,  expansive,  enlightened, 

1.   -seen.g  pm.  ..•nco   the  prudence  ofrep.d.lic,  an<l  „f  ull  h.nnan  so- 

ciclies,  never  M  and  never  can   conlradici  it.     The  course,  which 

our  country  ouoh,  ,o  pursue  in   regard   to  this   q.,esiion,  is  so  plain, 

P  I  r  •"  ?"'""'''^.  '■f^'     '^'^  ^^'•'"^"   ivitl/equal  clearness  on 

one  lin  "    '°"?'.7""  ''''  '^''''^''  '^'"^^  ^"^'^''y  l"S^ther,  and  keeps 

-and  on    i?T    '    '■°'",P7";S  ^^'  ^-'Iv-  and  dgus  on  the  othlr 

-and  on   he  law  o(   individual  protection  and   benevolence.     It   is 

written  alike  on   the  law  ol  Justice  and   the  law  of  mercy.     It  is 

written  in  the  constitution  of  the  human  mind,  and,  with  an  impress 

more  dear  and  burning  than  the  sunbeams,  by  the  Holy  Spirit  il,  the 

thrj.  I  I  .     "  V'T'  '"  ''"'  "nsoi.h.siicated  common  sense  of 

tovprn"  p.  Tr    .'•  "'"'  '•'  '""/'■'"'>'  '"  ^"^■''  ""^^"-''='y  ol'li^ntions,  the 

fl?e  dpT  .  rV  ''"^"  H  '^'  '^  ^'"^'  '''■'^  '''■  "PPn'b.tion  on 
the  deed  ol  ,n  ernal  cruehy,  which  not  a  few  of  those   to  whom   its 

1.^^^"""  r-  "^'^'":"'"«'J  '^y  ^''^  inscrntable  wisdom  of  Jehovah, 
llZu\t  r'^T''^^  "';»'  '^^""""'^  «ense  will  speak  out,  in  a  uni^ 
versal.l  under  of  reproach  on  the  rapacity  and  pe.jury  of  this  repnb- 

il^ncP      W  "7tr"'  ""^  «"  "■?"'<''"1  -'"  n"'  f'^^  trampled  upon  in 

vvil  not  die  to  the  latest  generation  of  onr  race.  And  far  more 
R.l.  rT'  '""  '""'f."'"  of  theAlmighty-the  judgment  of  the 
Ji  its  tr°aim  '  """"■''-^''"  S°  °^''  ^Sai"st  us,  and  a  curse  nmst  follow 

t\ruir  f^''°"'''^^^?  ^°  ^^^''"1^'  i"  the  North  American  Review,  an  ar- 

holding  a  manly  and  humane  policy,  which  it  migl/t  so  effectual  y 
have  supported,  bu,  of  justifying  our  Government  in  an  act  of  tie 

o  obvS"  h^^^  ^''1'f  T-"^  ^""  '"j"^"^'^'  devoted  to  the  purpose 
of  obviating  the  powerful  objections  on  the  part  of  reason  and  human- 

nkr!  T''"^  tl'e  minds  of  unprejudiced  and  sober  inquirers,  and 
of  arguing  down  the  lofty  obIigati<.ns  of  national  .norality^  to  a  place 
below  the  never-to-be-satisfied   demands  of  national  selfishness      It 

ofn;Tons  ando?r"lT'  °'  "^'""  ^"^  J"^''^^'  '"  ^^  ^^'^  ^'^  '- 
Jn^nnT  .  ?"'''  ^^  '"  ^^"'''"'^  ^'''^'3' '^''  '^^^^1  -Subtleties,  by  the 
tion  oftbpf  '      '"^^^^-'f."'-  sophistry,  and  by  a  frightful  eii.ibi- 

ahvnv  1  f^P'-'"  ^'^^^'T'  "•'^'^'''  »"  ^  depraved  moral  vision, 
always   tand  up  m  the  path  of  truth  and  justice.    We  are  astonished 

IIZVA'  -'^  ^"''  always  looked  upon  die  character  of  its  presen 
Editor  ^uh  sincere  esteem  for  the  moral  courage  and  plainness,  the 


ones, 


bhs 


Removal  of  the  Indians.  • 

intellerti.nl  nbilily,  nnd  the  i.nrcmiltinp;  industry,  uliirli  mnrk  it;  nnd 
we  (lid  not  expect  tiint  lie  would  pnt  even  histaeil  siinclionona  violnlion 
ornioiality  so   uiaiiilest  as  this.     The   character  likewise  oi  the   re- 
puted anihor  of  that  article  is  such  as  nii^ht  have  secured  his  sutlrap 
at  least,  if  not  his  powerful  alliunce  and  defence,  lor  the  cause  ul  the 
..ppressed  and  the  degraded,  or,  in  the  abstract,  the  cause  of  virtue 
alill  honor  and  relisiion.     When  we  look  back  also  to  the  past  numbers 
of  that  work,  and  compare  the  present  article  with  those  eloquent 
ones,  which  at  no  ^leat  distance  of  time  have  added  to  its  reputation 
both  for  intellect  and  moral  worth,   and   have  deeply   enlisted   tlio 
syini)athies  of  all  hearts  for  the  wretched  and  decaying  remains  ol 
our  once  numerous  and  powerful,  and  comparatively   virtuous  and 
happy  Aborigines,  we  regard  the  melancholy  contrast,  which  it  exhi- 
bits in  sentiment  and  doctrine,   with  feelings  both  of  sorrow  and  in- 
dignation.    We  mourn  diat  such  an  index  of  the  perverted  state  of 
moral  feeling  in  our  country   should  go   forth  through  the  world,  to 
which  we  are  so  continually  boasting  of  our  perlect  liberty,  equahly, 
and  nobleness  of  character ;  we  mourn  for  the  new  occasion  it  will 
give  to  the  friends  of  regal  and  despotic  authority,  to  ridicule  tlie 
gratitude  and  the  honor  of  republics. 

But  we  cannot  express  our  indignation  at  the  nature  of  the  argument 
by  which  it  attempts  to  establish  the  propriety  and  even  necessity  of 
so  glaring  an  exception  to  the   obligations  ol  morality   and  law ;  by 
which  it  attempts  wholly  to  undervalue  and  set  aside  those  obligations, 
and  to  substitute,  instead  of  such  as  are  eternal,  indestructible  and 
self-evident,  the  narrow,  paltry  maxims  of  all-grasping  selfishness  ;— 
the  maxims  of  a  stale  policy,  which  is  criminal,  because  it  does  not 
reco'-nize  at  once,  and  without  appeal,  the  supreme  authority  ot  the 
Law  of  God,  and  short-sighted,  because  it  imagines,  with  the  con- 
tractedness  of  view  universally  peculiar  to  what  is  wicked  and  selfish 
in  design,  that  any  true  and  lasting  interest  of  any  nation  can  ever  be 
subserved  by  any  means,  on  which  are  stampe.l  the  evident  charac- 
ters of  crime,  and  to  which  the  Creator  of  the  Universe  has  affixed 
an  everlasliuii  curse.     No  real  good,  national  or  individual,  can  ever 
be  procured  through  the  instrumentality  of  motives  or  exertions  which 
are  selfish,  fraudulent,  and  cruel.     It  may  appear  such  at  the  time, 
for  the  moral  vision  is  totally  perverted,   and  reason  is  darkened  by 
the  ignorance  of  guilt;  but  in  the  light  of  eternity,  and  often  in   the 
unerring  wisdom  of  a  very  short  and  bitter  experience,  it  will  be 
looked  upon  with  agonizing  remorse  of  conscience,  and  avoided  with 
shuddorings  of  horror.     At  the  last  it  will  bite  like  a  serpent,   and 
sting  like  an  adder.     Turn  to  the  pages  of  History,  and  you  will 
find  a  thousand  records  ol  this  truth,  in  the  dreadful  tyranny,  the 
short  splendor,  and  the  long  and  frightful  desolations  of  r,usery,  which 
have  followed  each  other  in  .he  career  of  guilty  nations  and  individu- 


r\ 


< 


•  Removal  of  the  Indians. 

als.  Were  tlin  prospect  ever  so  dmk  before  us  in  the  pnih  of  rec- 
titude ns  to  lliis  (|uestion,  we  never  would  helieve  tliiit  God  liiis  made 
a  world,  in  wliirli  iho  course  of  lioiioriilile  justice  leads  lo  deirinient, 
wlule  liiat  of  crooked,  decciifid,  mid  cruel  p(,licy  leads  on  lo  gain. 
We  know  it  is  not  so.  VV<!  know  there  is  an  eternal,  indissoluble Von- 
neclion  between  national  virtue  and  national  prosperity;  as  there  is  a 
connection,  equally  indissoluble,  and  terribly  certain,  between  national 
crime  and  national  niiseiy. 

But  how  long  shall  it  be  tnnt  a  Christian  people— freer  than  any 
other  peo|)le,  and  more  favored  of  (iod  than  any  other  nation  on 
the  earth,  ni  an  age  too  of  such  ireneral  civiliziitiou  and  intellectual 
rehnement,— shall  st;uul  balaMciu2;  the  eonsideratiocs  of  profit  and  loss 
on  a  ^reat  national  question  of  jusliee  and  benevolence?  Mow  lon^^ 
shall  It  be  that  when  the  path  ofVectitude  lies  plain  before  us,  we  shall 
stop  to  deliberate  whether  oiu-  eur.-ed  avarice  may  not  better  be  grat- 
Jhed  by  stepping  over  the  siile,  anti  rushing  forward  in  the  path 
ol  gudl  ?  How  long  shall  we  remain  a  spectacle  of  mortification  to 
all  good  beings  in  the  iniiverse  of  God  ?  How  long  before  we  shall 
learn  first  ol  all  to  do  justly,  love  mercy,  and  walk  humbly  with  him, 
and  let  the  eonsidenuions  of  national  selfishness  at  least  come  up  after- 
wards, it  we  cannot  bring  otnselves  wholly  to  annihilate  them  ? 
How  long  shall  the  world  wait  before  it  is  permitted  to  behold  the 
glorious  spectacle  of  a  great  nation,  in  a  great  crisis,  trampling  under 
loot  all  thought  of  every  thing  but  duty,  and  stepping  forthi  nobly, 
decidedly,  sternly,  in  the  path  tniced  out  bv  the  hand  of  justice  and 
the  thoughts  of  mercy  ? 

Jt  makes  us  indignant  to  see  how  a  statesman  of  no  mean  powers 
of  intellect  can  pervert  his  ingenuity  to  make  the  worse  appear  the 
better  reason  ;  to  make  it  appear  that  the  only  course  left  for  us  to 
pursue  IS  one,  which  will  inosl  inevitably  involve  us  in  the  crimes  of 
peijury  and  cruelty.  Hut  kt  ns  not  be  schooled  in  the  way  of  our 
interest  by  the  lessons  of  the  mere  politician.  Let  us  be  cautions 
how  we  darken  the  map  of  our  political  course  by  the  blots  of  our 
own  invention,  or  refuse  to  be  guided  by  the  great  beacon  of  nation- 
al as  well  as  individual  prosperity,— by  the  light  of  religion.  In  this 
case  as  in  every  other,  we  may  rest  assured  in  the  confidence  that  a 
nation  s  duty  is  its  path  to  glory  and  happiness  ;  and  the  duty  of  our 
whole  nation  is  never  doubtful.  Here  it  is  so  evident  that  even  they 
who  would  violate  if,  dare  not  plainly  contradict  it,  but  attempt  to 
escape  from  it  by  perplexing  the  conscience  with  the  intricacies  of 
apparently  clashing  and  opposing  duties,  and  by  deceiving  the  mind 
with  the  phantoms  of  general  expedience  and  necessity. 

We  have  no  doubt  that  our  remarks  upon  the  article  in  the  North 
American  Review  will  appear  extremely  false  and  exaggerated  to 
all  who  have  read  only  on  that  side  the  question  which  that  article 


"f 


^ 


I 


Removal  of  the  Indinns.  • 

aims  to  support.     Tlu'y  will  wondor  wlint  ihrre  is  in  ilint  trmpnnto 
pnpor  to  fxcitf  nny  i)iit  mi   inlii.bitiint    of  licdlam  to  J«iicli  mi  nnlcry 
of  vioialcd   jiistico  iind    liuiiiiiniiy   as  wo  liavi-  been  iiiakiiiiv     '1  hey 
will  dt.'clanj'lliat    wc  liavu  wiiltcii  iiiidtT  the    iiillutiici'  of  u  distom- 
perod  irnagiiHilinii  ;  and  that  wc  mo  mad   entluisiasls  on  n  question 
which  we  cmmot  understand,  Ixransc  wc  wrv  dilcrniincd  to  put   the 
authority  ol"  the  Bible  above  that  of  Vatlel,  and  lo  impose  silence  on 
the  demands  of  avarice,  while  the  voice  of  God  is  speakintc  within 
us  by  the  dictates  of  our  reason  and  of  conscience.      Hy  such  per- 
sons we  are  well  content  lo  he  so  esteemed  ;  knowiiiR  that,  hoin  ihe 
days  of  St.  Paul  downwards,  mankind  have  been  ready  to  brand  all 
with  the  epithet  of  madmen,  who  speak  forth  the  words  of  iriuh  and 
soberness  to  bosoms  agitated  with  passion,  and  beclouded  by  the  sel- 
fishness of  a  worldly  policy.  ... 

Such  persons   will   see   nothinc;  hut  benevolence  in  the  spirit,  .|us- 
tice  in  the  principles,  and  truth  in  the   assertions  of  that  article,  and_ 
will  probal.lv  arise  from  its  perusal  with  minds  deeply  convinced  ol 
its  reasonableness,  and  more  than  ever  in  the  power  of  that  abomin- 
able sophistry  of  expediency  and   state  necessity,  which   has  some- 
times darkened  the  understandings  of  the  wisest  of  men.     The  arti- 
cle is  indeed  most   plausible   in  its  character ;  and   it  is  this  which 
makes  us  grieve  for  the  influence  it   will  probably  ex(  rt.     It  is  writ- 
ten with  ail  the  beauty  of  style  which  characterizes  the  prodiicuons 
of  its  author,  and  in  that  spirit  of  cold  and   t<  mperate  caution,  with 
which  all  Machiavellion   schemes  of  policy,  Tom  time  immemorial, 
have  been  broached.     Whatever  the  writer  may  think   of  his  own 
disposhion,  and  wo   doubt   not  he   supimscs   he  is   at  least  dome:  his 
country  service,  it  is  manifest  that   he   docs  not  feel  ns  he  oufiht  for 
the  welfare  of  those,  on  whose  destiny  he  is  exerting;  perhaps  a  most 
powerful  influence.     His  mind   fiives  way,  like  that  of  multitudes  of 
others,  to  the  false  faith  that  the  Indians  never  can  be  civilized  ;  and 
his  habits  of  weiirhing  too  often,  and   too  exclusively,  the  good  and 
the  happiness  which  might  accrue  to  die  nation,  if  these   stumbling 
blocks  were  out  of  the   way,  makes  him   write  of  them  as   if  diey 
were  neither  human,  nor  endowed  with  the  rights  nor  the  capabilities, 
which  their  more  fortunate  neighbors  possess;  to  he  treated,  indeed, 
like  so  many  stubborn  animals^  and  to  be  sacrificed  without  scruple, 
whenever  the  interests  of  the  whole  United  States  seem  to  require  it. 
Those  who  differ  from   him,  and    strongly  maintain   the   part  of  full 
justice,  he  treats  as  men  indeetl  of  a  misguided  enthusiastic  benevo- 
lence, but  with  liide  understanding,  and  no   practical   experience  m 
these  matters. 

If  some  of  the  principles  developed  in  this  article  were  exhibi- 
ted in  their  naked  and  abstract  distortion,  we  hesitate  not  to  say, 
however  specious  the  form,  they  are  here  made  to  assume,  that  alt 


* 

I  I! 


6 


Tiemoiml  of  the  Indians. 


honest  men  would  cull  them  infeinnl.  They  are  no  other  than  the 
mn\\m  that  power  makes  right,  and  rliat  we  may  lawfully  do  evil  that 
good  may  come. 

The  niaxiui  that  power  makes  right  is  the  rne,  on  which  every 
conquering  nation  has  proceeded  from  the  time  of  Romulus  "  before 
and  afte'-."  It  is  tiie  force  of  this  n)axi(u  only,  whi"h  gave  to  the 
Spaniards,  who  first  fliscovered  litis  couniry,  an  exclusive  command 
(in  the  justice  of  which  this  writer  seems  perfectly  to  agree)  over  the' 
territory  and  even  the  lives  of  its  native  possessors.  It  is  the  same 
niaxnn,  w.'iich  kept  the  English  so  long  in  the  undisputed  enjoyment 
of  an  abstrnct  riirjit  to  enslave  and  torture  the  natives  of  Africa. 

The  niuxim  that  evident  ri-lit  must  yield  to  expediency  is  also  as 
nncient   as  the  conihniation  of  human  depravil\,  with  superiority  in 
one  ind.vidmd  or  nati-wi  over  another.     "  Wo  have  long  passed  the 
perM)fl  of  abstract  right,"  says  this  >vriter.     "  Poliiical  questions  are 
complicated  in  their  relations,  involving  considerations  of  expediency 
and  authority,  as  well  as  of  natural  justice."     We  object  not  to  what 
js  contained  in  these  sentences,  so  far  as  it  relates  to  those  abstract 
rights,  the  permission  a-d  prevalence  of  which  would  disorganize  the 
whole  constitution  of  human  society,  ^u^  throw  us  back  into  a  state  of 
murderous  anarchy,  worse  thai,  tlie  wildness  of  the  brutes.     These 
are   theoretical   rights,  such  as    were   contended    for   in    the   most 
terrible  period  of  tlie  French  Revolution,  such  as  God  never  gave  to 
men  in  communities,  and  such  as  each  man  surrenders  wiien  he 
enters   into  the   social  compact.      VV(3  deny   that   the  rights   which 
belong  to  the  Indian.^,   and  of  which    wicked  men  are  CMideavoiiu'' 
to  defraud  them,   partake  of  this  character  in  the  slightest  degree? 
They  are  not  abstract  rights ;  they  are  stronsjer   and  more  eiident 
than  any  abstract  right  can   be;  they  are  writlte.,  and  acknowledged 
in  almost  every  treaty,  which  our  government  has  been  called   to 
make  widi  these  tribes.     The  attempt  to  reason  them  awav  by  the 
complicated    "considerations  of  expedie<icv  and   authority"  is  an 
attempt  of   gross  crurlty  and   injustice.      What  renders  '■   still  worse 
IS  thetrulh  that  these  considerations  are  altogctlx^r  i.jiagi.  wy  ;  and  diat 
the  difficulties,  which  have  occasioned  such  a  summary  and  most 
comprehensive  defii.hion  of  impossible  abstract  rights,  as  would  in- 
clude all  that  is  worth  possessing  by  ai:y  commuiiltj'  of  human  beings, 
ni-e  accumrdated  solely  by  the  spirit  of  proud  and    sehlsh  extortion. 
Ihey  are  such,  moreover,  as  wouid  return  with  a  tenfold  perplexiiy 
and  power  at  that  distant  period,  with  which  the  writer  of  this  article 
most  com|)lacently  declares  we  iiave  no  business  to  trouble  ourselves 
in  the  present  decision  of  tlio  questio.i.     We  refer  our  readers  to  the 
plain  statements  and  reasonings  of  William  Penn.  for  a  most  thorouHi 
exposition  of  the  real  falsehood  and  immoralily  of  aich  ar-uments  mnl 
principles  as  this  article  contains.    We  warn  them  not  to  give  tiicm- 


the 


Removal  of  the  Indians.  7 

staves  un  to  the  power  of  its  polite  and  plausible  and  apparently 
hunui.ie 'sophistry,  till  they  have  examined  this  question  carefully  m 
all  its  possible  aspects,  and  in  the  clear  light  ol  our  rehyous  obhga- 

lions.  „    ,  .  .  •  •    ^f 

We  think  we  can  see,  in  the  agitation  of  this  question,  a  crisis  ot 
greater    imporinnce    to   this  whole    country— (not   to   the    Indians 
alone  :  that,  though  it  be  the  business  of  hnmaniiy  to  we-.gh  it  even 
in  the  hail's  esliiuaiion,  is  perhaps  the  least  part  of  the  matter>— 
than  any  other  era   has  presented  since  the  (irst  moment  ol   our  na- 
tional existence.     We  will  go  iarther,   and   affirm   without  fear  ol 
being  contradicted  by  those  who  Imvc  been   accustomed   to  watch 
the  pro-n-ess  of  the  world,  and    how  God  administers  the  affairs  ol 
this  portion  of  his  universe,  that  it  is  a  crisis  of  greater  moment   and 
on    which   hang   greater  consequences,  than   any   event,   which  lias 
transpired  since  the  I\lay  Flower  Im\vA  its  first  adventurers  on  the 
shores  of  this  continent ;— a  continent  tlicn  occupied  tlirough  :ts  whole 
extent  by  that  numerous  people,  concerning  the  late  ol  whose  last  re- 
maining descendants,  we,  in  our  national  capacity,  are  to  legislate  ancl 
decide.  Tt  is  so,  because  it  far  more  thcphj  involves  our  moral  ano  reli- 
gions character,  by  bringinir  „,,,  in  that  capacity,  to  the  very  eve  oj  the 
commission  of  a  trreat  anil  clrcndful  crimr..     Perhaps  it  is  one  ot  those 
awful  occasions;:onwir-ch  Jehovah  resolves  to  try,   by  a   high  and 
solemn  trust,  the  true  character  of  liiose  kingdoms  wliom  he   has 
loaded  with  his  benefits;  and  iVom  whom  he  requires  an  eminence  ot 
goodness,  and  a  readii-ess  of  gratefid  obedience  to   his  commands, 
and  a  jealous  acknowledgement  and  support  of  the  supreme  authoiity 
of  his  laws,  in  some  measure  proportionate  to  the  greatness  and  pecu- 
liarity of  the  blessings  he  has  conferred.  ^     ,    .   •        ,     • 

The  as^ltation  of  this  question  is  not  like  that  of  admitting  the  in- 
dependence of  the  Greeks,  in   which  no   decision  could  affect  any 
great  princioir  of  evan-elical  moralitv  or  national  law.     It  is  not  like 
that  of  the  abolition  of  the  slave-trade,  in  which  the  wrong  alternative 
was  diat  of  conuiuiin-,  to  a  somewhat  longer  period,  the  commission 
of  a  crime  with  which  a  nation  had  been  stained  for  centuries.     It  is 
not  like  that  of  die  declaration  of  independence,  where,  in  any  alter- 
native, the  moral  character  of  the  people  would  have  remained  spot- 
leGS.      It  is  a  question  whether  W(!  shall  noiu  contaminate  ourselves, 
in  addition  to  all  our  other  guilt,  with  a  new  and  auful  crime  ;— new, 
in  proportion  to  the  sinffulaiitv  of  the  circumstances,  (unexampled  in 
the  history  of  tlie  worhH  in  which  Providence  has  placed  us  in  regard 
to  the  Indians  ;— and    awful,  in  proportion  to  the  civil  and    religions 
privile-es  wliich  we  enjoy,  and   the   means  of  knowing  our  duty  in 
the  hght,  which  the  universal   spread  of  the   Gospel  has  poured   so 
abundantly  upon  us.     Judging  from  these  circumstances,  a  sin  com- 
mitted by  us,  whatever  be  Us  nature,  must  make  us  incalculably  more 


f 


8 


Removal  of  the  Indians. 


guilty  than  it  could  have  made  almost  any  other  nation,  which  has  ever 
existed.     And  here  we  are,  on  the  very  eve  of  deciding  the  question 
whether  we  shall  plunge  o.u-selves  intosueh  guilt,  andyet  we  are  sh^ 
ting  apparently  m  the  npaihy  of  the  sleep  of  death. 
.    We  repeat  it.     There  is  an  awful,  and  a  deeply  criminal  apathy, 
n  winch   the  public   m.nd  of  our  whole  country  is  slumbering  on 
this  momentous  subject.     The  public  feeling   has  never  yet  been 
roused  by  any  of  those  strong  representations  and  appenls,  which  the 
case  would  just,  y,  and  vvlnch  the  crisis  imperiously  demands.     I   is 
a  proof  how  callous  the  heart  of  our  nation  has  become  to  everything 
but  the  slnnulus  of  vanny,  and  selfishness,   and  pride,  that  even  in 
New  England,  whose   inhabitants   are  apt  to  be   foremost  on  ev"" 
occaston   where  the  mterests  of  religion  and  of  patriotism  are  at  staked 
the  indifference  ol  which  we  speak  is  profound.     We  are  apparentlv 
at  too  great  a  distance  from  the  place  where  this  tragedy  threatens 
to  be  acted   to  experience  a  very  awakening   impulse  of  excitement 
for  those  who  are  to  be  its  victims.     Distance  in  space  lessen    the 
power  of  sympathy,  and  deadens  our  sensibilities  for  the  sufferings  of 
the  oppressed.     We  have  heard  of  thousands  murdered,  or  enslaved 
for  life,  and  tortured  by  task-masters,  in  a   distant  land,  with  far  less 
emotion  than  that  with  which  we  should  witness  a  single  blow,  cause- 
ess ly  inflicted  on  a  stranger  within  our  gates.    But  the  danger  is  none 
he   ess  alar.ning,  because  it  is  not  at  our  very  doors ;  the  suffbrings  of 
the  Indians  wi I   be  none  ti.e  less  acute,  and  the  injustice  inflicted  upon 
hem  none  the  less  atrocious,  and  the  consequences  to  our  country  none 
the  less  certain  and  terrible,  because  those  sufferings  may  not  be  wit- 
nessed by  us,  or  because  we  cannot  be  present  on  the  spot,  to  have 
our  souls  harrowed  wnh  the  eff-ect  of  that  injustice,  or  because  those 
consequences  look  small  and  chimerical  in  the  distance 

The  Christian  public  especially  have  been  criminal  in* their  neglect 
ofth.s  great  subject.  It  belonged  to  them  to  have  been  Ion -^  since 
vvatching,  with  a  vigilance  which  could  not  be  lulled  into  security 
the  most  distant  approach  of  an  event  like  that,  which  now  threatens 
so  soon  to  be  accomplished.  It  belonged  to  them  to  detect  the  pre- 
cursors of  the  storm,  and  give  warning  of  its  progress  in  the  distant 
horizon,  while  yet  the  sky  above  was  unspotted  with  a  cloud.  It  was 
then-  part  to  have  calculated  and  foretold  the  effect  of  the  passions  of 
mankind,  with  whose  power  they  are  so  well  acquainted,  and  to  have 
made  provision  against  their  terrible  results. 

But  while  even  distan.  nations  have  been  investigating  this  subject 
with  the  most  evident  interest,  we  ourselves,  on  whom  its  conseq.ien- 
ces  are  to  fall,  arc  found  s!eeping,-even  while  there  may  be  heard 
around  us  the  portentous  noise  and  movement,  which  precedes  the 
quick  shock  of  an  earthquake.  ^ 


i 


i 


A 


Removal  of  the  Indians.  • 

The  letters  of  Penn,  indeed,  have  issued  from  among  us  ;  and  ihey 
are  an  lionorable  tesiimoiiy  to  the  vigilance  and  ability  ol  thai  man  3 
individual  mind,  to  the  correctness  of  his  own  moral  feehngs,  and  to 
the  living  and  energetic  piely  of  the  circle  in  which  he  moves.  But 
what  else  has  been  done  ?  Has  this  subject  sufficiently  arrested  the 
notice  of  private  Cinistians;  and  what  report  would  each  man  s  con- 
science command  him  to  make,  if  he  were  asked  to  say  how  ollen 
its  remembrance  has  gone  with  him  to  his  closet,  and  how  lervently 
his  prayers  iiave  ascended  to  the  God  of  nations,  for  that  mterposition, 
without  which  the  most  vigorous  and  timely  efforts  are  o(  no  avail. 
We  often  think,  on  every  occasion  like  this,  of  Cowper's  most  beau- 
tiful and  affecting  description  of  the  man  of  humble  and  retired  piety. 
The  truth  it  contains  is  as  sublime  and  real,  as  its  poetry  is  exquisite. 

Not  slothful  he,  thouffli  oeemmcr  unemplnycd, 
And  censiiied  oft  as  useless.     Stillest  streams 
,  Oft  Wilier  fairest  meadows,  and  the  bird, 

That  flulleis  least,  is  longest  on  the  wini?.  • 

Ask  hiin,  indeed,  what  trophies  he  has  raised, 

Or  what  achicvnienls  of  iininorlal  fame 

Hepnrposes.and  he  shall  answer, —  None. 

His  warfare  is  within  ;  there  unfatiffued 

IJis  fervent  spirit  labors.     There  he  fiirhts, 

And  there  obtains  fresii  triumphs  o'er  iiimself, 

And  n'^ver  witherinir  wreaths,  compared  with  which, 

The  laurels,  that  a  Cicsar  leaps,  are  weeds. 

Perhaps  the  s.tlf-approvinirhiuii>hty  W.)rld, 

That,  as  she  sweeps  him  with  her  whistling  silka, 

Scarce  deigns  to  notice  him,  or,  if  she  see, 

Deems  hiiiT  a  cipher  in  the  works  of  God, 

Receives  advantage  from  his  noiseless  hours, 

Of  which  she  little  dreams.     Pcrlaijis  she  owes 

Her  siiiislunc  and  her  ruin,  her  blnnming  spring 

And  plenteous  luirvest,  to  the.  prayer  he  makes, 

When,  Isaac  lihe,  the  solitanj  saint 

Walks  forth  to  meditate  at  eventide, 

Md  think  on  her,  loho  thinks  not  for  herself. 

And  have  the  feelings  of  clergymen  been  sufficiently  awake,  or 
their  conduct  sufFicienily  active,  in  regard  to  this  subject?  Have 
they  given  it  its  due  place  in  their  public  devotions  ?  We  should  be 
the  last  to  put  our  sanction  to  that  medley  of  politics  and  rehgion, 
with  which,  at  no  distant  interval,  the  irritable  passions  of  an  audi- 
ence were  regaled  and  fostered  from  the  pulpit.  We  woidd  totally 
expel  from  its  precincts  every  thing,  to  which  that  title  could  possi- 
biy  be  annexed  ;  and  no  sound  should  be  heard  from  that  sacred 
place,  but  the  voice  of  mercy,  and  the  word  ol  God.  But  to  the 
christian  mind  this  subject  is  not  a  political  one.  Its  worldly  aspect 
is  lost  hs  political  connexions  are  annihilated,  in  the  all  absorbing 
importance  of  its  character  in  the  light  of  religion,  and  its  influence 
on  the  vital  interests  of  humanity  ;  in  the  remembrance  too,  that  its 

2 


li 


\i' 


to 


Removal  of  the  Indians. 


bearings  mny  be   Mnoed,  even   till    tliey  are   lost   in   eternity.     We 
cannot  but   iliink,  tlierelore,  iliat  it    is   tlie  duty  of  every  minister  of 
tlie  gospel,  so  far  as  maybe  in  bis  power,  to  make  known  to  bis  peo- 
ple tbe  irtiili  of  Ibis  qiieslion,  and  lo  enlist  tbcir  sironiiest  sympaibies 
ni  tbe  canse  of  jiisiice,  and   for  tbe   sake  of  tbe  oppressed.     What 
other  resource  indeed,  remains  for    lis?     The  time  of  decision  is  at 
hand.     Our  most  energetic   movements,  thus  tardily  delayed,  may 
come  100  late  to  be  of  any  avail.     At  any  rate,  notliing  can  save  lis 
unless  tbe  public  mind   be  universally  aroused  from  ifslelhargy,  and 
an  appeal  made,  so  loud,  simultaneous,  and  decisive,  as  shall  aston- 
ish tbe   world  at  the   power  of  moral    feeling    in   tbe    heart  of  ibis 
country,  and  cause  tbe  most  inveterate  and   bold   supporters  of  na- 
tional iniquity  to  tremble. 

An  unjust  decision  in  regard  to  the  fate  of  the  Indian  tribes,  who 
are  so  unhappily  in  our  power,  to  us   would  almost  seem  tbe  death- 
warrant  to  the  liberties   of  our   republic.      We   could    no  longer  put 
laitb  in  the  boasted  stability  of  iubtitutions,  excellent  ibongb  ihey  be, 
wbicli    depend  so   eminently  upon   a    holy  slate  of  public    morality' 
should  we  see  so  tremendous  a  proof  that   ihe  freedom  and  tbe  reli- 
gion oi  tins  people  is  roite.i  at  its  core.     We  should  then  no  longer 
believe,  what  we  cannot  bring  ourselves,  in  the  cold  spirit  of  political 
economists,  to  regard  as  tbe  idle  dream    of  poetry,  that   this   is   tbe 
last  and  the  endurable   resort  of  suffering   humanity  and   persecuted 
piely.     We  should  look  for  yet  another  downfall   of  tbe   liberties  of 
the  world,  and  yet  another   victory  of  the   powers  of  darkness,  be- 
Jore  the  glorious   predictions,  which   we   hope  are  fast  hastening  to 
their  accom|)lisbinent,  could  be  finally  fulfilled.     We  should  look  for 
a  speedy  infiietion  of  the  vengeance  of  Jehovah,  as   signal  upon  us, 
as  It  was  upon  bis  ancient  covenant  and  rebellions  people.     His  mer- 
cies to  us  have  been  inealcnhibly  greater,  and  should    we   fail  to  re- 
deem the   responsibilities  which  rest  upon  us,  why  dare  we  hope   to 
be  made  an   exception   to   the  laws  of  his  retributive  providence  ? 
W  by  should   not  we  also  look  to   become  a  proverb  and  a  by  word 
among  tbe  nations? 

Let  us  remember  what  hopes  we  are  blasting  in  the  bud.  Let 
us  reflect  that  the  first  fair  trial  of  the  possibility  of  brini-ing  an  In- 
dian tribe  into  the  full  perfection  of  civilization,  and  under  the  full 
influence  of  the  redeeming  power  of  Christianity,  is  here  fast  and 
auspiciously  advancing  to  its  completion.  Jt  would  seem  as  if  Al- 
mighty Providence,  in  scorn  of  tbe  daring  blasphemers,  who  assert 
that  any  of  tbe  human  beings  he  has  made,  are  irretrievably  beyond 
the  regenerating  energy  of  the  Gospel  of  his  Son,  and  forever  out 
ol  the  pale  ol  civil  and  social  improvement,  has  reserved  this  solita- 
ry tribe  of  the  forest,  to  tell  such  phi/usophers  ihe  supreme  weakness 
ot  their  complacent  speculations.     To  tell  the  world  that  there  are 


Removal  of  the  Indians. 


It 


none,  however  sinsnlarly  ferocions,  whom  He  cannot  reclaim  from 
ttdr  savage  barb,ri;y.     That  .he   siinplc   rehg.on  ol  tl.e  cross  of 
Jesus  o„lv,  can  efF-'C^  that  m.^hty  renovation,  that  new  moral  crea- 
tion, uhicl   must  be  tlte   invariable    foren.nncr  o    social  rcfitjoment, 
Z  o  the  accomplishment  of  which,  all   the  w.sdo.n  a.,c  plnlosof% 
of  all  pas.  a^es  is  otherwise  totally  inadeqnate.     And   shall  we  now 
by  our  obstinate   selfishness,  reject  this  snblnne  expenmen  ,-am 
with   such   rejection  destroy  the   possibility  ol    ever  repeating  it? 
Shall  we  now,  when  a  whole  people  have  emerged  Irom  their  dark- 
ness, and  are  rapidly  advancing  to  the   possession  ol  the  glorious 
l"r|„^,„d  hop.s  of  Cl.ristianitv,and  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  blessings 
of  domestic  life,  shut  them  up  to  all  future  proofless,  and  return  them 
to  their  original  barbarity  ?     We  have  thoroughh'  l'^^^^;^'?;  j';f '"  'J 
our  vices-let  us  us  at  least  point  them  to  the  Balm  of  Gilead,  and 
not  frown  on   them,  while  they  seek  the  Physician  there.     LcU   us 
not  drive  ihein  back  into  the  wilderness,  stripped  of  the  compara- 
tively innocent  simplicity  which   once  belonged  to  them,  «nf»  "J^^  " 
edwitha   moral   pestilence,  which  they  ne/er  would   have  lei   but 
for  us,— acquainted  with  ciTues,  which  the  ingenuity  ot  refined  Me 
only  could  suggest,  but  not  acquainted  with  the  power  of  that  salva- 
tion to  which  «;«  resort,  but  which  some  among  us  dare  to  asser 
they  are  absolutely  incapable  of  obtaining.     After  having  made  them 
drunk  with  ihe  cup  of  our  abominations,  let  us  not  refuse  them  a  par- 
ticipalion  in  our  blessings.     Neither  let  us  cotripel  them,  as  the  mis- 
erable alternative   from' a   removal  beyond  the  Mississippi,  to  give 
themselves  to  the  vullure-like   protection   of  their  ueighbors-to  the 
authority  of  laws,  which  practically  assert  that  they  are  not  human, 
bv  depriving  them  of  the   most  precious  rights  and   privileges  ot 
man  in  a  social  community.     Shall  we   not  rather,  as  some  repara- 
tion  for  the  incalculable  injt.ry  we  have  done  them,  now  perform    he 
utmost  in  our  power  to   promote  their  speedy  «7'>^'.';""  "/^^^"     f 
blessings  which  we  hold  dear ;  and  even  err  on  the  side  of  too  hu- 
mane a  benevolence,  too  profuse  a  generosity,  too  disinterested  and 

self-denviiia:  a  kindness.  '  . 

We  have  deferred   the  consideration  of  this  topic  too  long ;  so 
long,  indeed,  that  it  argues  a  carelessness  in  this  country,  m  regard 
to  d\e  great  imerests  of  morality  and   religion,  which   is  truly  por- 
tentous.   Tn  England,  the  approach  of  a  question  almost  exclusively 
mercantile  and   political  in  its  nature,  the  question  in  regard  to  the 
propriety  of  removing  the  jurisdiction  of  the  affairs  of  India   from 
L  hands  of  the   E.rst  India   Company,  is  watched   by  the  who  e 
nation,  with   the  utmost  anxiety,  for  years  before  it  can   possibly 
come  into  parliament ;  and  the  subject   is  kept  in  daily  agitation, 
with  as  much  vigor  as  if  it  were  now  on  the  eve  ol  its  final  settle- 
ment.    Its  connexions  and  its  consequents  are  examined,  not  in 


I 


.«**■ 


} 


13 


Removal  of  the  Indians. 


\h 


he  h„  ry  of  tumnltuoi.s  nnxiefy,  but  with  that  cnlmness  of  dellbera- 
t.on  wh.ch  ,s  d.e  .oso  u,pm,n„t  a  ,ne:,s„re  ;  nnd  when  it  co  nes  o 
be   detenn.ned,  ,t  vv.ll  b.  deiennined    by  men   prepared    fo     do  ? 

eS'^ssion  o?t  'I'     f  7'  -'-'-«-  inflnen'ee 'of  d.  d.!  Ve 
expresMon  of  an  enlightened  pubhc  opinion.    But  vvidi  us   a  snl.iprt 

rorr/:1  ;''-"^'^"  '""^'^^  ---'l-ntionsof  nation  rViS 
morality,  and   the  interests  teinnoral    nnrl  np.l..,.,o  «.        i      r 

than  fihy  thousand  human  bei,^d;d^1.^^  o^ m  ^'nli: 
ve  y  moment  in  which  it  L  to  be  made  the  subject  of  deb  te'  in  o , r 
halls  o  legislation,  in  almost  total  ignorance  o  i  t  ue  n  tare  and 
Its  real  importance.  "  uauire,  ana 

we  i)e,ir  tJiem  with  as  much  indifference,  as  if  we  considerpH  t\Jr^ 

si::.h  ,^;r%v"'t'-"^°'''"'i>'  ^^^•"•'"^  <- rnti^^rr 

nee   nstiiuiions      What  is  more  alarming  than  diis,  is  the  truth   tint 
on   the   part  of  a   great  poriion  of  this  people,  and  on  the   1    of 

and   w  h  I  '"l!"s'";>"s  dre  received  with  manifes.  approbation- 

and   with    an    additional    sophistry  of  selfishness  in    tlid?  sun  ort' 
winch  might  almost  put  Machiavelli's  cool-blooded   po  icT-.f  c    A  ' 

hLe    and    .bond      '^T'^^n  ?"'^P^^1' ""^1  all  our  charities  af 

nU?Lf    ■  ^    '    '"''    '"   °"'*   t^-mperance,    and    all   our   wide 

phylacteries    and   prayers   in  the   corners  of    he   stre^    a   deen 
rooed  moral  insensibiliiy,  an  alarmin,  stupidity  of  fe    i  ^  in  reS 

ute':  crrin'tlf:"!-^';'"^^'^^^  and   benlvole^ice,  :;h::;e:er" 
snellsWrn/.  .     Mw       '"'  '"!'?"''S<^'  and  no  conduct  (which  always 

TZ  :;tr;;i^  :si^-^  --•  ^-^-'^ "-  --^  ^'-acti: 

of  fll'that  IX  l"''  T'^i '""'  "'^'  '"^'^'^^  "«  f^-^hle  for  the  cause 
or  all   that   IS   holy  m   feeling   „k1   virtuous   in  conduct  amon^ ,,? 

deceived     h^nJ^tU  ^  '-°"^*^'"^-" ,  'o'    «   "me,   and    we   rema  n   self- 

tho.;ritbeseen   o  ".e'atl7'^  ""^  ^"^"-- '    - 

the  low  and  he  degnded  it  will  T  ^'"  ''''''  r^''''^  °^  ^'"''^^^^ 
effectual  and  time  y1  eck  'p  u  1  ir n  T  ""''"  ""^^  ^'^  '''" 
country  with  a  mounif.Und  5        '  '''"''  s«eep  over  our  whole 

try  wan  a  mournful  and  desolating  power.    We  do  not  hold  such 


Removal  of  the  Indians. 


It 


lan^na-e  thoughtlessly,  nor  without  restriction  ;  but  we  Icnow  that 
such  must  be  the  case  in  every  country,  and  especially  -"  ou.s    f 
there  be  not  high,  energetic,  and  unremitting  ^^''f  ••"""' "'\  ''^ J  f^^ 
of  ail,  who  favo.  the  cause  of  a  fervent  piety  and  a  stern  morality. 
The  nature  of  our  institutions  is  such,  that  tins  country  may   not 
unaptly  be  called  a  theatre,  in  uhi^h  there  is  held  out  a  tree  hren  e 
for  the  exhibition  of  all  varieties  of  wickedness,  however  radica  y 
destructive  in  their  nature,  which  do  not  directly  touch  the  worldly 
interests  of  men,  or  interfere  with  the  ease  and  com  ort  ol  society. 
Many   among  us  seem   to  think,  that,  in  effecting  the  wholesome 
disunion  of  church   and   state,  we  have  not  gone  far  enough,  bu 
should  take  atheism  into  partnership,  and  for  greater  security  against 
the  encroachments  of  ecclesiastical  power,  base  our  republic  hi  my 
in  the  principles  of  infidelity.     It  becomes  us  to  be  up  and  doing,  to 
be  vii^ilant  and  prayerful.     The  energies  of  wickedness  are  o     hat 
irregularity,  both  in  the  times  of  its  appearance    and  the  quantit)  ol 
its  power,  upon  which  no  calculation  can  be  made,  to  w  nch  no  limits 
car!  be  set.     None  can  deny  that  we  have  amons  us  all  the  elements 
at  least,  of  a  most  destructive  moral,  if  not  political  commotion.     Jt 
only  needs  an  event  of  suflicient  magnitude,  and  sufhcient  sharpness 
of  collision  ivith  conflicting  interests,  to  set  them  all  m  the   most 

terrible  combination.  ,     •  c  i  i  „.,rl  i1,p 

Like  all  other  countries,  we  have  amor,g  us   he  infidel  and  the 
atheist;  but,  unhke  almost  all  others,  we  give  them  full  toleration 
in  the  eniovment  of  their  conscientwvs  faith.     We  have,  too,  the 
sensual  and  the  debauched  ;  and  there  are  those  in  whom  the  hght 
of  Deity  and   the  spark  of  humanity  seems  hopelessly   quenched, 
and  its  place  forever  occupied  by  the  savage  and  kind  fires  ol  the 
instinct  of  the  brute.     A  woman,  whose  character  is  a  disgrace  to 
the   name  of  female,  has  lectured   among  us  to   fn  1   meetings  of 
blasphemers  and  deniers  of  their  God ;  an  event  which  could  not 
have   existed,  setting  aside  all  actual   prohibiiion,  had  the  state  ot 
pr.blic  feeling   among  us  been  pure  in  any  eminent  degree      V^^e 
look  only  with  emotions  of  vacant  curiosity  at  such  beings  and  their 
followers,   while  they  set  aside  the   authority  of  Uod  s  word,  and 
offer  to  the  passions  of  mankind  a  freedom  Irom  restraint,  which  is 
too  alluring  long  to  be   resisted  without  deep   re  igious   principle. 
The  sabbath  continues  to  be  violated  ;   and  though  individuals  are 
still  permitted  to  keep  it  as  holy  as  they  choose,  yet  any  attempt  to 
enforce  its  obligations  upon  us  as  a  nation  is  met  with  the  ontcry  ot 
'priestcraft,'   and    the    obstacle  of  law.     It  is  said,  too,    hat  the 
Jesuits  are  at  work  with  their  powerful  machinations;  and  wherever, 
and  in  whatever  hopeless  circumstances  of  apparent  weakness  and 
folly    these  men  begin  their  operations,  let  none   dare  to  despise 
thera.     The  curse  of  slavery  is  still  upon  us ;  and  we  never  can 


14 


Removal  of  the  Indians. 


throw  it  ofr,  till  our  lethnr-jy  and  leprosy  of  moral  feelin-  is  vvhollv 
purity  ol   relin^ioiis   beiievo  cnre.      Our   iiitpitinprnnr.^    ;.,  r 

o,™,,  i„„  i„,,,.,,,  ,,„.„  ,,,H-,,i , ,,:,  <!;    ,;  r',r  :,r.,f ,,',e 

tl.is  reror,na„„„,  b,.co,„e  „p|,.,e„,lv  L,i.fi,.,|  ,i  „,  eno  jl,  |nf  bJn 

'  "e',"';teT'«:ilir """"  -"■■""■",■ '"''"'^'  -'"  i'^^i-  fo.™ 

u    \et    r.iges    /iiglitfuHy    nuiong    us.      Tli,;ro    are   contentions     .no 

T^.i    1/       ".'7  i'" '    "PP'-ession  is  riothed  uid,  p.nver.  ^' 

i„„.     i  ^  "°'  Sra'ip  toRflliPr  llw  (lark  fealnrcs  of  our  na. 

ton  on  the  mercy  of  tl,ose,  who  are  more  pmver^,      ,an   t  ey     tTe" 

unconquerable  avarice.     Such  treaties  uill    be   disrec  rde     H  p-.l?/ 
rel  seless  Va^^^  "''  "'"^'.'"^'"^^  '•"^'^  "^  "^"«^  '^'"'••l^'y 

;.^J^^.iKnLiS^^ 

nee  n  ;f  V;^   r?""   ^"''--'.'^  "'-a-''   all   chang^o   '     c.  n. 
to   .t;  ^'■^■t;'^""ns  of  opinion.    The  lu.liansbad  better 'land 

the  Pa  i  el  ]t    Z  --";-'"^  .than  march  further  onward     o 

thus,    han   remain  to  be  trampled  as'  the  serfs  of  G  o  gialto  h  ve 

les^snfr     '.     1     ^^  ^^'^'-'"'""fed   by  the   more  powerful,  and  not 
less  sure  though  slower  operation  of  the  vices  of  the  whites. 


§ 


i 


Removal  of  tht  Indians. 


15 


too, 


i 


rouUii.lietl  cases,  has  i)«cn  llio  ""-"''"''-.  '"'^  ,°,.Ljj  before  llie 
nature,  l,ow  justice  anJ  bene.eleuce  "'>;^  f;'^';^™;„l„,,„. 
altar  of  arubilious  power,  .nd  "  '°^  rnv     ,i  c  "  «e  are  le.l  aln.ost 

.ions  of  f<'f"^r'^-',^''y^;^T'i:^:X',:^,;,l:  is  the  spirit 
to  despair  lor  tlie  result.     1  hi.  °'  '^    '^^'  "    .  ^  „    ,,,  „f  ,„oral  and 

»V'^'"'=f';'Vi:u;it;:;mona       wo  houor^lte  profession  of 

£s-  =s^"f  » J3 ..  l» «-,  /„:- 

leave   is  lo  i  comiDitted   to  o..r   charge  ;    to 

consequence    a   .ebl  ol    -f-:|^,;';« ,,  J 

S-'r""nf  Sr%w    t  "   riterminations  of  Jehovah,  and 
bhndness  of  latu uy,  awaum,.^  im«  hvnociilical  resij^nat  on  of 

exclaiming,  in    the  sup.ne  •^il':  f;.,  "'^^,;';;^^,!V'' if   we^are  even 

Z  rcet'iu  Xr-riit',"  ,f:,',rS,:'l„„a   u,,  or  tl„e,„er 
tltall  r'eceive  us,'to  be  enveloped  in  ever  astnr.  -U  nes^  and 

irtir±ri'j:^r':S^;^::^:^P"sr£i 

aSislratl™  of  the    universe,  or  to  say  tn  what   manner,  «heo 


f 


18 


Removal  of  the  Indians. 


he  inflicts  vengennce  upon  a  guilty  people,  he  will  apportion  the 
piiiiishmpnt  of  its  indivifliinls,  acfording  to  their  sliare  in  the  crinie. 
lint  we  know  thnt  he  will  do  this,  and  that  we  all,  as  individuals, 
m  ike  lip,  by  our  own  character  and  conduct,  the  character  and 
conduct  of  our  country.  Let  ns  ask  ourselves  what  each  of  us 
can  do,  to  avert  the  tlircatoiiing  evil,  and  to  add  power  to  the 
hands  of  the  benevolent.  Let  each  conlribiite  his  exertions,  and 
utter  his  voice,  till  the  united  appeal  of  millions  shall  swell  to 
such  an  accinniilnted  energy  of  remonstrance,  as  even  a  despotic 
government  would  not  dare  to  resist. 

God  forbid  that  the  prayers  which  have  ascended  for  the  Indians, 
and  the  exertions  which  may  be  made  in  their  behalf,  should  fail. 
It  vvould  be  better  that  half  the  states  in  the  union  were  annihilated, 
and  the  remnant  left  powerful  in  holiness,  strong  in  the  prevalence  of 
virtue,  than  that  the  whole  nation  should  be  stained  with  guilt,  and  soon- 
er or  later  disorganized,  by  the  self-destroying  energies  of  wickedness. 
VVe  would  rather  have  a  civil  war,  were  there  no  other  alternative, 
than  avoid  it  by  taking  shelter  in  crime  ;— (or   besides   that,  in  our 
faith,  It  would  be  better  for  the  universe  to  be   annihilated,   than  for 
one  joi  or  tittle  of  the  Law  of  God  to  be  broI<en,  we  know  that  such 
a  shelter  would  only  provQ  the  prison-house  of  vengeance  and  despair. 
We  would  take  up  arms  for  the  Indians  in  such  a  war,  with  as  much 
confidence  of  our  duty,  as  we  would  stand  with  our  bayonet,  on  the 
s  lorejofthe  Alhin-ic,  to  repel  the  assaullsof  the  most  barbarous  invader. 
1  ei  haps  we  do  wrong  to  make  even  the  supposition  ;  for  it  can  never 
come  to  this.    But  let  anything  come  upon  us,  rather  than  the  stain  and 
the  curse  of  such  perfidy,  as  has  been  contemplated.     Let  the  vials  of 
God  s  wrath  be  poured  out  in  plague,  and  storm,  and  desolation  ;  let 
our  navies  be  scattered  to  the  four  winds  of  heaven  ;  let  our  corn  be 
blasted  in  the  fields;  let  our  first  born  be  consumed  with  the  stroke 
of  the  pestilence  ;  let  us  be  visited  with  earthquakes,  and  given  as  a 
prey  to  the  devouring  fire  ;  but  let  us  not  be  left  to  commit  so  great 
an  outrage  on  the  law  of  nations  and  of  God  ;  let  us  not  be  abandoned 
to  the  <legradation  of  national  perjury,  and,  as  its  certain  consequence, 
to  some  signal  addition  of  national  wo.     Let  us  listen  to  the  warning 
voice,  which  comes  to  us  from  the  destruction  of  Israel. 

Their  glory  fndod,  and  their  race  dispersed, 
The  last  of  nations  noiv,  thouirh  once  the  first; 
Thoy  warn  and  teach  the  proudest,  would  they' learn, 
Keep  wisdom,  or  moot  vengeance  in  your  lurii  • 
If  WK  escap'd  not,  if  Heaven  spared  not  us, 
Ppej'd.  scattcr'd,  and  exterminated  thus  ; 
If  vice  received  her  retribution  due, 
When  wc  were  visited,  What  iidi'k  for  you? 
Wlieti  God  arises  witli  an  awful  frown. 
To  punish  lust,  or  pluck  presumption  down  : 
When  gifts  perverted,  or  not  duly  prized, 
Pleasure  o'ervalued,  and  his  grace  despised, 


[ 


Removal  of  the  Indian$. 

Provoke  the  venireanoo  of  hU  rinlUonu.  hand, 
Kur  d..wn  vvlall.  upon  a  ll.unkl...  land  ,- 
llo  will  bo  round  imiwrlially  MVein  ; 
Too  jusl  to  wiuk,  or  -i-oak  ll.o  «u.liy  clear. 

idins  stnteinents  nnd   nppoa 


It 


In  makini;  ihc  preceding 

,d     of'  wiintonly    aULMiipliiiS 


i1s,  lei  lis  not  he 


nccuso 
tlircaten    us. 


We    liave   no    uisli 


to    aiinravalc    tlie    evils    wliicli 
to   exagiieraio    then.  ;  ilu'y  '^e 


Ia-1  no 


1110  dare  lo  sneer  at  our  exlii 


ibi- 


„u,„n.rul  euoug  .  in  reaiU)  •  ia  t  "■-  "  '  ;,,  ,,,,,l,u,s,  or  lo 
lion  of  ll.e  fearful  unporiauee  oi  ^'"^,  J  ^ ,  ,'  ^  !  '^J,,  „,■  „  ,"edenta- 
,ende.l.e..rnnhn.ouH^i.^s;..^ 

i-y  eulliusiast.      VM    uitss  un.  tunning 

by  ,l,c.  d«l»r>tio„s  ol  »'»'''»■';•*  "''»r,^','f'e„,,|Li„„,  »n'l  will 

d..i.in,„  ..,;  Iisl..ly  ,pss,.l    V  w,  ,  »»'-'■„  J-'dl,.;,,,  »,  1... 

j„,„ly      Yt-1  evi,"  I'    V  „,^,;  „,),„,„  our  roumiy  lias  ever 

"""'r"'V+  ,n     b      ,  e        -  happe„e,l,  i>  is  ,l,e  par,  ol  w.s- 

hearings,  lo  ilie  present. 

.  I  .0  no  exception  to  ^.e  -,2.:!;- I^Tt^nTrnt^  Ii:^;^^:;,;::! ^^e 
failh.     If  there  are  ca«us  m     ''»,  ^''^  ;^;^^^^^^^^^^  ,,.,l,vic.,  ll.e  religion  of  irovern- 

nono  wh.^n  it  i>i  <lecr,.-d  U  is  .^  ''^^  1''  '.'''^"  '  >iff '„  •  i„i„icco  smoke,  or  a  sir.n^.  ot 
„,e,„s  I.  Is  ol'sorved  l.y  ^^^'":'  ,^„;  ""  h-UIv  to  Irealies.  Even  m  Al-Jiers, 
beads,  trivrsnol.  ""'»dy  a  b.inlina  1  >  c  -  l.u    a  ^'^'h    ^^^^  ^         ^^   .^^^^  ,^  t„  ,  ^„e,  or 

a  truce  u.ay  be  bou.ria  tor  '"-"■{ '.J  ;,,^'''^Vln  s  we  see,  neftber  the  .gnorance 
too  just  to^isowrj  and  annul  ''    "^   ^^^'J  ^;"j;,t,,  „  ,;,,  piracy  and  rapine,  penn.tana- 

'™rfir /S;; -;; -;:;i»TMLu;:-.«a  r,„a  "u,ea 


"  Edmuud  Burke, 


i  Fisher  Aiiic». 


i 


^p*- 


18 


Rrmoval  of  the  Indians. 


lenHi'vVl';  In^.nSlVll;  o,"r'  '''''v  •"'"'''  ''"  ''"■^  "^l-'ri-"-  whirl,  w.u.l.l  bn  .... 
le^snni  arc  .r,  7,  .  HI  I;"  V;'"'  '"■'^.•-•;'"'"  ''k"  "  .•ln.r..h,v,.r.l,  nil  vvl.oBe 
;    .     '  •  ";;'''   ''"""''"■  '"  ^"I'wl.li.s.  'your  ,K,ssi„n.  n.ul  V."  r  V ice.    f  r 


I 


1)0  r 


It 


nil.  It  ia 
ii^n  Hliniild 
llint  n  ro- 
J  and  tin- 
?  is  duly, 


APPKNDIX 


1 


fe* 


The  article   in   Mr.  Willis'  MaKa/ino,  was  written,  as  itsolf  incli- 
cates,  from  deep  feclino.  an<l  without  any  i'''^^"\  P''"'';« ',,';', -l^n 
rate  foru..     W  -.atover  <,1  j.xtions  may    be   made  to    t,  Wecaiise  ol  ti.e 
.arsl      "    o^  of  its  expre..iou..   especially   when   appl.e.l  to  so 

plausii'le  a  pro.lnct.,,..  as  thai  in  the  North  An.er.can  Rev.ew  we  are 
ullv  cnuv  mcod  that  it  does  not  contan.  one,  whose  severity  is  not 
really  ist.tied  by  the  truth  of  tl>e  case.  We  hope  the  vehen.encc 
SVllid.  we  hive  freely  spoken  our  sentinjents  w.ll  -;;^  ^^^^ 
one  from  wei^hin-r  well  the  iu.iu.rti.nce  of  ih.s  crisis,  or  from  exami- 
ning wUh  camlou"r  the  statements  in  our  appendix.  A  P-.o-me 
zeal,  such  as  we  have  been  wron^rly  charjr,  d  with,  all  m.^rl.i  lo..k     pon 

lith  just  contempt;  but    stubborn    facts    -"^  jL-[.'  I)'  ;;;^;;;;:'2 ;  ^^ 
which  none  can  innocently  refuses  conviction.     We  <l'scl.mn  tie  c  a  gc 
of  passion;  at   ,he  same  time   we  Uuow  ,t  would  be  crim  n  1    ami  it 
the  momentous  circumstances  in  which  our   country  is  placed  by    he 
agitation  of  the  ludian.p.estion,  if  we  should  regard  its  progress  with  a 
S   iu difference,  which  we  could  scarcely  exercise   ...  witnessing  an 
ex  eriment  in  NaUual  Philosophy.     When  the  mora   '•-!';--  ;.•-'  -; 
nation  is  at  stake,  no  sn.sibility  can  be  too  cp.ick     whe..  the  ^^f^r^  of 
thousands  of  our'iellow  creatures  is  in  danger  of  be...g  ;--'['«^-  •  "° 
strength  of  feelin.r  can  be  called  i..temi)erate.     In  such  a  case,  .1  we 
act  Sting   we  act    riuht.     The  only  .nistake   we  can  comm.t 
when  we  deci.i;  under  its  influence,  is  that  of  carrying  the  pn-'P  <;«  of 
general  bcevolence  too  far.     And   is  not  tins  bctU'r  than  that  our  .n- 
dilference  shouM  ...ake  us  cruel  to  our  bietbre..,  by  preventing  us  fro.n 
carrvinir  those  pri.iciples  so  far  as  we  ought  ?  ,   r    ,• 

O.,  this  subiict  there   is  certainly  no  da..ger  of  too  much  feeling  ; 
the  bi-rhest  degree  of  il  is  not  superfluous  ;  it  is  even  necessary,  if  we 
won  i>-erve  our  minds  from   being   paraly/ed  by  the  cold  a..d  n..- 
feeli.M^opbistrv  of  i..tri.ui..g  polil.cans.     Besules  .t  .s  a   niela..choly 
ru.:.°!:a    v.rtuous   men    are  almost  always   less  energetic  m   a  good 
cause,  than  wicked  men   in   a    bad  one.     "Good  works  '  it  is  one  o 
Burke's    finest   remarks,  "  are    commonly  left  in    a   nule    unhn.sbed 
state,  throuuh  the  tame  circumspection,  with   which  a  t.mid  prudence 
so  frequently  enervates  beneficence.      In  doing  good,  we  are  general  y 
cold,  lan.T„i,l,and  sluguish  ;  and  of  all  things  .fraid  of  being  too  much 
in  tile  right.     But  the  works  of  malice  and  injustice  arc  quite  in  an- 


'.-fl 


i 


./•••-. 


20 


Appendi 


ix. 


M 


other  style.  Tlicy  arc  finished  nith  a  bold  tmsterly  hand  ;  touched 
as  they  arc,  wi.ii  the  spnit  of  those  vehement  p;issions  thai  call  forth 
ail  our  eneriru-s  \vhenev«!r  we  oppress  and  pers(.'cute." 

1  lie  article  in  me  iN'i.rth  Ameiican  Review  is  undoubtedly  the  most 
powertui  exhibit.on  tliuf  can  be  presented  of  all  the  false  reasoning 
Which  an  inventive  mind  could  sii<,rirest,  on  the  wron-r  side  of  this 
qiiestion  We  hardly  over  met  with  .v  publication,  which  contained 
wm.iii  thf  same  number  of  pages  so  mmy  assertions  whic.  are  abso- 
lutely false,  statements  which  a.e  incorrect,  principles  which  are  im- 
Hioral,  and  reasonings  which  are  shamefully  rrroneous.  The  insinu- 
Mting  sophistry  ol  its  jiaragraphs  will  be  best  .k-tected  i)v  a  constant 
comp-Yison  as  the  reader  passes  over  tiiem,  with  what  William  Penn 
ndsexluhited,  in  a  very  plain,  sincere,  and  convincing  manner,  on  .he 
same  topics.  In  pointiii;/  out  its  most  important  inisiepresentations, 
we  shall  adopt  a  course  scjmewhat  different. 

.  It  is  well  known  that  this  article  upon  the  Ii,dians,  in  the  North  Ame- 
rican Review  for  Jan.  l^m,  was  written  by  Gov.  Cass,  of  the  Michi<raii 
I  eriitory.    1  he  same  gentleman  was  also  the  author  of  a  loiKr  article  on 
the  same  subject,  in  the  same  Review,  in  the  year  1826.     We  propose 
to  make  extracts  from  both  these  articles  and  to  exhibit  our  quotations 
together  in    their  remarkable  contradiction,  in  order  that  our  readers 
may  know  what   sort  of  reliance  can    be  pi  iced    in  the  opinion  of  an 
indivKlual,  whose  ideas  are  thus  blown  about  by  every  wind  and  wave 
oi  doctrine,  and  whose  assertions  seem  to   change   with   the  chamnng 
admiuLstrations  of  his  country.     That  refutation  of  a  mm's  falsehood 
IS  ot  ali  others  the  most  thorough,  practical,  and  convincing,  which  is 
drawn    from  manifest  opposition    in    different  portions  of  his  life  or 
vntings      We  can   no  longer  put   f.ith   in  any  of  his  declarations,  if 
we  hnd  him  gui  ty  of  self-contradiction  in  any  instance,  where  the  c.r- 
cumstnnces  of  the  case  forbid  us  even  to  hope,  th  .t  such  inconsistency 
could  have  sprung  from  mere  carelessness  or  mistake.     The  scrutiny 
of  motives  belong  to  a  higher  than  any  human  tribunal,  and  we  shall  not 
posit,  ^ly  assert  the   causes,  which  we  think  may  have  led  Gov.  Cass 
S2fi      R  r  "^   "'""""^^^   a  dereliction    from   his  principles  in 

InnZ'-        V"''    •■'••«.«tr*^ctlil>e.tyto   prove  to  our  readers  that  on 

ions     X?",'   r"'' '"  "''^ '>"^'^''«"  '^^  '^^« '^•■'-'   his  old  declara- 
tions and  adopted  new  ones  :  and  ou.  readers  will  observe  that  this  in- 

ZZT.nnl  "l'"  "'!  ""''  J"'^'""''  ^y  "">'  "'''  '>^<^"Tences  which  may 
nu   on T,T.      ','"■   ""^'"^   T'    "«P^^^' ^^''i^^l'    the  cpies.ion  may  have 

which  his  fomer  opinions    were  grounded,  remain    to   this  day   with 

ncTeaTd"'^  tI;:;."' [  "  "••''7  ''T'''  -^-"-'-i.  ^''-t  po/eVfln 
n^creased.     They  will  remember  likewise  that  the  broad  principles  of 

Td  m  fsfTn  i"""'  '"■'  '"d««t^"^'i'^l«  "n<J  u.nlterablein  their  nature, 
mos.r^  imr      r'""""  ^"-^'^••^'•.  '"fty.  and   binding-even  in  the 

tTousInd  world?     w"'  ""f .  "'^"'^    "^^  '    ^'"^''«  ^^'P"'^"«  ''"'  «'  ^^" 
uaunr.!  h  r  w'  '""''   ""'  "'^'^  ''"'■  "">'  '•'^''"tation  of  the  itisin- 

uating  sophistry  of  tins  gentleman  mere  complete  in  its  kind,  than  he 


;i 


Appendix 


31 


,„,  ,,,..,f  given  us  the  opportunity  t.  -^^f;  .^^^^  rSt::;- 

..„o  have  to  set. k  ^^-%^Z^';^;t^'2^    of  thc.o  ;  otherwise, 
f,o,n    Wash.njrton.     ^c  lu>^^J>e    ..     •  ^^     ^^  i^efore  onr 

while  wo  are  labonnj^  to  ^l'"^  f .^    ^^^^^      ,,j- the  same   opinion   with 
pamphlet  can  reach  h.m    he    ""  ^  ^^f,^^  "^  ..di,,.  on  a  shadow. 
LrJelves,  and  we  shall  Imd  ^2;^:^^  I     ^.hI  Afterwards   n^ention 
We  slrall  first  ex  nb.t     -  "  ';°^^  ^^^^^^^  .Usplay  to  onr   readers  a 

and  refute   s.une  of  his   also  '^^^ ,  _\'«"-,^      ^^^  'precisely  of  the  same 
specimen  of  his  immora   pr"  ^  >'-•     ^^  .J  HJ^,,  committee  under- 

rnjr^^^SStri^sSe'nrcode    ^public    morality.- 
took  not  lon,^^_^^^  ^^  ^^^^^^_^  _^^^^^^  ^^  ^^.^^^^^  ^,  ^„„ 

We  shall  r;::;;u:Uhis,arh,ed  and  partial  representation  of  legal 
^Pi?!r;Hrh^to:!:ie:2;;:^%.t;,uotehis  latest  opinions  on  the 
proposed  plan  of  removal  for  the  Indians. 

Gov.  Cass  in  ISoO. 

their  degr.dalion,  a.ul  ll.e  '''\''« ''>.''    ^'^.^^.^  ^u.!  l.efore  ll.e.n,  os  thev  are  be- 
ihcv  Levari  to  ...rvoy  tl.e  subjei't,  tlo-  ''f ',\\"^,.      fl„^i„„  ,ide,  was  evidem;   but 

i„f,„„  <,„,„n.u.i..c.  '«~'"»  l'°r''.  • ,        tou,,l.rio.  v.e,e  „„„Wi.l»d,   ...I     e  r 

nic  nnollive  log.ther,  we  find  no  coun  ,     whc  e   ^  -       P^^^^  ,„,„„  ,f  „„  „ov- 

;Zcr  those  child.en  of  •!-f";^':"«;;";"l,-     Jt^  .ion  belonging  to  the  I  n.ted 
LnRMitsfor.nedbeyondthe>)^M>>pp.    I    et  -    .    ,,^    ,„rfi,„„,    vvhere  uo 

Sta  es,  ad.uirably  adapted  to  '''V''"'      "  di  do         k1  where  no  a.ten.pt  will   be 
^ta te  authorities   have     or    can  >•"-  J^^f,^'"  ;,,,,., t  barrier   has   heretofore 

h^i:^Z:fjrS::^Z:'^::^r^^^^  .o.d   be  nether  .eal  gov. 

l„.  (l,o  '  (Uilv'  of  our  inCiUit  colonics  !o  '  pro- 
•  We  know  nol  ul.nt  this  uiitor  can  mean  h)    'f.^J-, „",,,,„,,.  of  NoriU  AnuruM,  and 

permission. 


/■ 


22 


Examinotion  of  Gov.   Cass 


press  yj>on  lluU  Unricr  f  .rohlt  f  'r  X'lV^  «S^'^>  our  population  skould 
■which  would  cnusa„J\Lro  I  ,^  /J^^  [''T'  '""'  "<^<l>''^rcd  new  huhits, 
pain  to  ns,or  nf,n-  Z,Xt        V^^^  '^'"T  '"   "'"^  '""'  ''"'"'^ 

tains,  or  disappL-nl     ''it  ,  '  ■       ,   L  ■"'  '""/./"'•«"/  '/'«   liocky  Moun- 

u"^;:!n'S.-;io;;7r  ,:;^ -sr  .--7-- ;"-.rs; 

winch  sMch'loti.hn'^^r^^^^^^  "'"    "'^'^'^ '"S   ''"'lifr^Tcnce   with 

from  iho  ii„tioe  arid  iho  mcinurv  of  imn  '     T  „  r  i      '        'i"  ,  ''"■"■'" 
ir^,  coiitains  llie  fullou-iug  dechiratioii  :—  ' 


lied  by    their 


power  or  i„  tlieirs,  which  oiibr.s   any 


Page 

-We  cannot  enter  into  a    full  exan.inution  of  ti,,.  eTect  of  nh„r  ,     • 

Indians  in  the  western  regions.      InH,,  the    retro  ■     cti  e    v  1  ^        "   '         "'  "^ 
htsforv    It  rs  evulently  th.  only  means  in  our  p„vv'     o     i„  Z 
probah.hty  of  preserving  then,  fron,  niter  cMinco        A        /,.    '  ,      ^ 

ofii,-.  .,■„„  ,„.:.„.  ,„„  „,,„„„ ,  0,,.;' "I'^iiiL^-'^^-xsi'-! 

Page  119  of  the  same  niirnl)rr  confnin«  tlir>  r^ii„.  • 
the  same   topic.     We  mark   thc^  Z^Z^'^I^Z  TP''^  7 
attenttot,  of  the  reader  to  the  singular  difTere;    e  i         Z  t'eJV^' 
Cass's  compn.^sioti  fbr  the  Itidians  in  18;J()   from   tin/  H,        t       ^''''• 
fesled  in  1^26.  '        "   "*''^  "'"ch  he  mani- 

"  Rut  after  nil,   it  cnnnot  ho  denied  :ind  onn^ht  not  m  I.,.  .  i    ,      . 

transplantation  fron,  the  soil  of  their  anee^;::'  ;'^"  ^U^^l'^  ^  '"*>  ""' 
some  mental  and  coipnreal  suflei-in-rs  await  tl  •  P''"'.'-l  "'  "'^   Mississ 

from  the  measi,,e  itself      '  " 


PPi, 


'-•^'^^^•■.^.zr^;Su:!:z'-r;:s;s; 


applied,   the.jon,-ney  ,„ay  he   .endced   as  easy  "to  liieMr'";;,.^ 
ur  own  people.      |5y   „  continuation  of  the'  .same  lil,:.,ai;,v 


"•  'IK  fiquiil  numher 


be  made(or,l,e,rsuppo,t,  aft,  r  their  J  ,-    .    ;  ^    •,   d  T'  '■'■""^';""""^  "'"^ 

accotnn.odale  the.nselves  to   the  ci,r„n,st„  ces   o f  H „'        •  ""'  ""'  "'"''  ""^X 

secure  f,on,  the  earth  or  the  f,„-ests,  the       .'..s     f  .,     '        "  ',"""'    "'">'  '^='" 

themselves  to  the  pursuits  of  agricultu,-e  o"  of  thl  chte.''       '  "'  "'"-^  "'"^"  '^''^'^ 

"'  '':ri:!'!.!"  ;"  ;^r'^'!'  ^':  '''--'"^  ./-/-.,  -l.ich  is  .nemly  hy. 

y,  which  reigns  through 
vhic 
6  P^i'i 


pocrifical,roiiipired  with  the  hard  inseus'ibilit 

•■->vh.*„r,i..i„  :,„„,,„•, , „.,ntz^i:.:,::"':i^^.;':°}'s^; 


the  whole  article 

is  ve 

graph' 


"  This  i.s  the  course  we  had  a  ri.'lif  to  evm.ff    .,.,,1  .       i  •  i     , 

.bj..i.n.  u.  ,„.  „„„,„  .„,j.«  .;,„„;  3;',:;c:;lT,,:t;s!u'r'i:';,':;.;"r 


.# 


ll 


on  the  Removal  of  the  liuUans. 


23 


M 


:i 


,h.t  tb«  establishment  of  nn  .'7'^p-;;-;n;::j::;;;::;:;.;::it"  nS  \.::IS 

cannot  l.e  per.ni.t.cl. ':na  wln.-i.  '' '' ~  '  /,  ,„j,  ,„  ,1umm  will,  uuiple  mean,  to 
bio  ruin,  l.et  the  ..iVer  o.  a  new  <•  'J  ,,,  ^;  ^  ,„  ..e.ful  an.l  perpetual  posses- 
rear.!,  it  a.ul  to  .uhsi.t  •..  U,  w.th  ""1  ■.,^,  ^'^  .  U,,,.,  .,  •  W„r,  -tl.at  ll.e  ,nosl  enlarged 
sion,  an.l  wilh  a  ple.l  nMn  tlie  wev.U  -I  '  ■'  -  '^^  >  ,  •„  „,„  ^  iheir  n.inds,  bel- 
aud generous  etllnt.,  1.V  ^1-p'V"'-""""  ^^^  S^,^"o    Mir  s-Jver ent.'      Let  them 

ter  t1.e,r  oor.h.ion,  an.    an    '''';''',',;!,,,. e.l  to^.uove,  but  w.sh    o   re- 
nnin  an.l   submit  to   oui  laws,  u  ill,    >  n.e  ^  ^^^^  ^^^.^  .^  j^,^^^  „„  ,on- 

;;;„.,  W.<^  on-  '-;''';"V''l!;;:rt.  •  :;       e    ;n.n;,n,ent,  or  occasion   ,e,ret    to  the 

^.;o:e':J  tmn,-  pos.es.ions  anci  "^-.;^:^-'";  ;  i,v  nlelt  .way  he.b,e  our 
IrL  aneient  ass,  eiat.ons  to  In  u  e  o  P  e^.  ^  a  ^^^  ^.  ^^^^^^^^  ,„^^i  ,,  ean 
Lople  and  iu-aitut,ons  the  "^'  .,. '  ^^  „,^„,„,,  i,  exercised  over  the  abor.g.nal 
Li,J.er  stay  nor  control.  ,'  l'^  j  „  ^  ^  ,?  with  then.,  and  of  '"itercom.  a- 
colon.es,  and  just  l'"-^'  '  =.  ^  ,,  j*^  '  a  cnlbrce.l,  we  may  bope  »".  «««  'f ''",; 
nication  among  tbeu>,  '".,'"^'''' .;'';,,  ,ve  have  so  long  and  so  vainly  looked, 
proveiuentiu  their  condition,  tor  vvb.ch  w^^^^.^^^^  ^^^^n^^  ^.^   ^^^  ^^g,  120. 

Gov.  Cass  on  the  same  subject  in  182G. 

districts  which  they  have  occupied  to    ag,      to  y^   ,,,,ere  their   particular 

will   bring    many  of  them  to    a  countrv ,  "'  ^^  '"^         ,         ,,^t  changes    in  their 
OS  te^  are   ignorant,  and  will  re,u    e     •^^'^^J^  *,,„,»,,,  ;„  which  they  may 
Kits,  to^.ceom.nodate  the.ns.^ves^       he  new  cnci,  ^^^^^^^^^^  ^^^^^^^  ^^^ 

be  placed  ;   changes   ^^h-c    v  «-  rt*;^  '^^^  '^'^  ^^  j^  „,  ,,i.bt  task  for  a  whole  people 
and  with  great  sacnhces  ol  health  '»'!''■  ;,bandon  their  native  land,  and 

fr"om  helpless  infancy  to  ^  -  ^l;,;;;;;;"'    „t;  '  ew^.neans  of  support      The  pub  he 
seek  in  a  distant,  and  perhaps  b.iucn  u         ,  ^„^j      j^    ^i,^  author- 

';,pers  inform  ns,  that  an  attemp    -  -^^f ^  .„;;;,e.e   to  remove  to  the  west. 

to  them.  „      .,  ,.  ,u„  ,_ii„.^     as   wc  have  already  seen,  east  and 

..Hut  this  is  not  all.     Many  ol  '^o    ribs,   as    ^^^^^^^^^  ^^^^.^^^  ,^^^^  ^^.^^^^  ^ 
west  of  the  Mississippi,    are  m  a  ^  .  tc  o      c  ^.^^^      _^_^j   ^,^^  ^..^^.^  .^^ 

Tges.     The  Cbippewas    '»7;/'^'7;    ;  7i„'''     ^vvar  ;   and   most   of  the  Algonqum 
iLeshaverecently  joined  the    on,,  mtliej^^^^^^         ^^^_^^    ^^^,^^_.^^  ^        .  ^h 

tribes,  the   Delawares     ^''f "  ^^^;/,^  ^   .^se    .ibes  to  exist  together?     As   well 


84 


t 


'Appendix. 


roam  where  their  inclination  mny  dictnte      Tf,„„  • 

^^  vvole  .s,s.e,„  of  rndi,.n  ed.ca^  on  I'nd  instiS.!:  "  T'''"^'  '^  '°  ^«^  '« 

»m   done    '7'^  "."^'  "'  "'"  ^"•«"  war  dance  S"t  of  r  ,"  "l"  ^'"""»  "»'"  '» 

"as  Clone  before  hini,  unless  lie  can   find    m    11  ""*  '"""'.  »•"   I'ia    father 

wear  on  his  head  the  envied  fea  hers  i"  the  w"^'  '",  «"'="""'<''•••'  "ovv  ca„  ho 
t"re  ;  or  paint  npon  ,he  l.odv  a  ven  ilio„  °,k  ^^  ""«'«•  "'"'  one  for  each  ndven! 
game  only  and  never  travel  the  J  Z  >  [["'t  '"T"^'  "' ''"  "'">"  Pumue 
encircle  each  tribe,  n,ight  keep  the  aM  „  ''"^''""  "^^  '"-""PS  which  should 
d'^plny  of  an  overwheTnnng  .L  t 'ry  '  iT\  '"fr'"'''-  ''"'  ^'""-"t  .sue  a 
d^M.ce  was  perfornied,  the  war  so  !?ni   ,H  '      ■    ,'''""'''   ^"""  ''««'-.  that  the    war 

""..elve.,  »o  ,l,i„k,  ,l,-„  llmir^f  ,10  '/„';!  "'  "'"•'"■""''  "«fr  SS'  F„? 
'•■«  eener,,!  „l,j.c,„„d  ,.g„|,„io„"...     '"•  8<»«n».on.  .I.o.ld  b,  li,„i,ed  »i  i^.' 

"i"  ,1,:";,"  iSio™ ,1°  '"^^^  »™=  of  "-»  -.-.a.i„„.,  and  clo,e, 

.1-e  s^nlif .rr'-Zv-r,,:;,",';"',;''- "'"  «-•  c»- '-  -?=»..<! 

««■  ""■  '"  "'"  feflcclion  of  our  read- 

Our  next  extracts  are  on  thft  pfT/^-.o  „p     ■    ■ 
«f  civili..,o„  and  ChriJaJlral;:^",':'^™""  ""'  ""•"™'""=' 

G^^''.  i/J  C/S9  1833. 

•  hoi-  •■    .',    '"  >    noi    eonteiitfid  rriprpii/    i..,>    i-  '"^  ('latea.     iriev  are 

their  own  n.s  .tut;on.s.   This  leelin..,  i nci-lc  ,  eH  '  '!"»'"«  ^'"'  "  death-araJn  [o 

;;-e  a..e  u,e  pniici^'U  :,;:;;;:;!-•  ;:J  '"  ^^  ■■-»'  .t  un  t^,,^ ;  .^^^ 

•nan  nature  IS  n.cessaiy,  to  be  e  isi  .  h  ""•  •,'"'  ''"'^  knoulclg-.  „,„.' 
exchange  .such  a  lif.  fj,',,,,  su,  ^  '',,  'm.''""''''';^/'  «-«&e  w„„^l  be  to 
.  i>.v,;ene„c..  has  sl,„.vi,,  Uv.t  t he  l„  '"'"""'"*  ''"^'es  of  civilized  societv 
'Hfr.  And  cau.es  of  ,|„sdmi,^  tin  v  1  H  '  '"T ''"'"'''>' '''''^  ■•=»l'i'l'y 'iimuSh- 
-■•e>et  ,..  consrau,  and  active  ™;,'',f,,:'^  "-f  -'"deavore.l'to  mves^iX 
to  stand  hetwcei,  the  |,vi„,.  a,„    u,l  r.' 1  V       '■''^" ''^'■"  ^'"o^vn,  that  our  e^. S 


:^^' 


\ : 


I 


on  the  Removal  of  the  Indians. 


35 


ii     1    ««r.ta  nf  science  and  the  aits, 
evidence  of  our  desire  to  repair  them. 

rising  generation  of  Indians. 

Gov.  Cass  on  the  same  topic  in  182G. 

..The  c«.rt.  .h^ch  benevolent  «^ and  as^^  -  £S 

tln.ou.,1.  tl>e  United  States   .n  CO.  pe  a  2  v^';,.^'^,J,,  ,,d  "-*"^''^^"Suk  se 
unon  more  practical  principles,  aim  pron  j    j^^^  q,.  (,p,„,ons  ot  those 

coi  "  "er  anf  attempt  utterly  ^'^'P'^'^'t^'l'^^^,!^^^Am^^■^  can  do  for  then  .s  io 
inn',   ^^■l.o  have  arrived  at  years  of  malu   ,j ,  ^^^^  ^^,,,  ,,,,  upon     le 

S  10   he  comforts  of  their  P/^-f^^^^J'^'^^-o,,    missionary   schools  exhih. 
tL^r  .cmuUion.     An<l,   cer  amly,   '^^"y   "»  ^\^-^.  i^aian  pupils,  and  o  ler 
fi    kint^  examples  of  the  docility  '^  V\^^P'"='\;V«nion  of  mental  and  physical 
cheering  prospects  for  ^>>7  ^''^tSlishn    n"s,  is  hest  adapted  to  the  situ- 
discipline,  which  IS  enforced  '^^_^^j  f ^^,^'  f' ^^^.^lec^e  of  those  principles  ot  hu- 

ation  of  the  Indians,  '^'•'\'--^\""    ''S  into  acive  exertion.     A  few  vears  will 
man  nature,  which  must  be  here  ca  led  ntoac^^^^     ^^^^^  ^^^  j 

Bettlethisimp.n-tant   quesmn:  an     veh.en_^  of  improvement  has  already 

our  hopes,     mere  tl.  lrd,rsarev.  t         »  '-^  "^^^^  ,,;,  „auc  of  our  mstUuUons, 
over,  and  game  cnnush  to  ,mrsue,  they  J 

hut  arcuttcrhj  opposed  to  than.  ,„^^^U. 

We  print  the  Cosing  sentences  in  i-;;-^--,:^:;^^^:,:^'- 
ably  inconsistent  with  the  hte  ^J^  ^V^;^/,;  \  eylre  driven  fruu.  the 
diaL  will  more  ea.ly  ^.^^  ^^^    ^^^nt    a„d  (^  reality)  the  nearer 
last  glimmerings  ot  a  Christian  .^e"ie.        _, 
they'are  reduced  to  "  their  original  state. 

We  next  quote  his  opinions  on  the  causes  of  their  decay. 

Got'.  Cass  in  1830. 

X.    1  t-,  rM.n<1iirc  this  diminution 
..  But  a  still  more  powerful  --^iirsSrS  e'L^ent"  bane  of  their  im- 

in  the  number  of  the  Indians.     ^^'-^^7,  .^  thdr  declens^^       and   degradation. 

pvovement  •,  one  of  the  l-'-^lP;,  ,^=^5^,^,    V  ri   eTin  immediate  contact  wi|h  our 
n  tbis  prop.-ition  we  ."chule    i  1    ^  ^>;^      ^  ,   rescr rations  ff^'^ran  le     to 

frontier  settlements,  or  who  have    •^r^'""^'',4„t  the  sale  of  spirituous  lupio^ 

them.     It  Itas  been  found  impracticable  to  P  ^x^"      ,  ^^.^  ^,^  eluded  or  openly 
HXse  who  are  thus  situated.        '- -^^-''^'^S   'conspire  to  bring  together 
violated.     The  love  of  spirits,  and  ^''^       '^  "^^^'^^n.'c  heavier,   and   tlie  proba- 
1  e  buyer  and  the  seller.     As  the  l-^^.^/'X   prohibited  article   becomes 
bihtv  of  detection  and  pumshment  st,      get,    tn^e   j    ^  .         . 

deaixr,  and  the  sacritice  to  obtain  it  greate, . 


^.:)b'^V^ 


V 


2G 


Examination  of  Gov.   Cass 


i 


) 


"  Our  object,  as  will  be  seen  in  the  sequel,  is  not  to  trace  the  operation  of  all 
the  causes  which  have  contributed  to  tl>e  diminution  of  tlie  population  of  the 
Indians.  AVe  confine  ourselves  to  those  which  may  be  fairly  attributed  to  the 
coming  of  the  Europeans  among  them,  and  which  are  yet  exerting-  their  influ- 
ence, wherever  the  two  races  are  jilaced  in  contact.  As  we  s'liall  attempt 
eventually  to  prove,  that  the  only  means  of  preserving  the  Indians  from  that 
utter  extinction  which  threatens  them,  is  to  i-emove  them  from  the  sjjhere  of 
this  influence,  we  are  desirous  of  showing,  that  no  change  h.as  occurred,  or 
probably  can  occur,  in  the  principles  or  practice  of  our  intercourse  with  them, 
by  which  the  progress  of  their  declension  can  be  arrested,  so  long  as  they 
occupy  their  ])resent  situation. 

"  The  conseciuences  of  their  own  wars,  therefore,  do  not  fall  within  this  in- 
quiry. These  were  in  active  operation  long  before  our  fathers  landed  upon  the 
continent,  and  their  extent  and  e/K-cts  have  been  gradually  circumscribed  by  our 
interposition,  until  the  war-h.atchet  has  been  buried  by  many  of  the  tribes  which 
are  near  us  ;  and  if  not  buried,  will,  we  trust,  ere  long  be  taken  from  those 
which  are  remote." 

Our  reiidnrs  will  remark  in  tliis  extract  the  policy  of  the  Governor 
in  dwelling  on  those  causes  of  decay  wiiicii  have  operated  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  wnites,  and  his  caution  in  avoiding  as  much  as 
possible  the  troublesome  consideration  of  those  which  will  be  most 
powerful  in  the  contemplated  region  of  removal. 

Gov.  Cass  on  the  same  topic  in  1826. 

On  page  94,  Vol.  13,  (New  Series)  he  speaks  of"  the  introduction 
of  whiskey"  as  being  "  among  the  least  of  the  evils  to  which  the 
calamities  of  the  Indians  are  attributable." 

*•  Among  the  remote  tribes,  spirits  are  scarcely  ever  seen,  and  they  do  not 
constitute,  an  article  of  i>cucral  use,  crcn  among  those,  irho  arc  much  nearer  to  us. 
The  regulations  of  the  government  are  such,  and  tiiey  are  so  rigidly  enforced, 
that  the  general  introduction  of  spirits  into  the  Indian  country  is' too  hu/ai\lous 
for  profitable  si)eculation.  Nor  could  it  bear  the  expense  of  very  distant  trans- 
portation ;  for  if  sold  and  consumed,  a  corresponding  reduction  must  be  made 
in  clothing,  guns,  powder,  and  lead,  articles  essential  to  the  successful  prose- 
cution of  their  hunting  expeditions,  and  without  which  the  trader  would  soon 
find  his  credits  unpaid,  and  his  adventure  equally  ruinous  to  the  Indians  and 
himself. 

"  lUit  their  own  ceaseless  hostilities,  as  indefinite  in  their  objects,  as  in  their 
duration,  have,  more  than  any  other  cause,  led  to  the  melancholv  depopulation, 
traces  of  which  are  everywhere  visible  through  the  unsettled' country  ;  less, 
perhaps,  by  the  direct  slaughter,  which  these'hostilities  have  occasioned,  than 
by  the  change  of  habits  incident  to  their  prosecution,  and  by  the  scarcity  of 
the  means  of  subsistence,  which  have  attended  the  interruption  of  the  ordinary 
employments  of  the  Indians.  There  is  reason  to  believe,  that  firearms,  by 
equalizing  the  physical  power  of  the  combatants,  have  among  these  people,  as 
in  Europe,    lessened  the  horrors  of  war. 

"  The  Indians,  in  that  extensive  region,  are  to  this  day  far  bevond  the  operation 
of  any  causes,  primary  or  secondary,  which  can  be  traced  tc  civilized  man,  and 
which  have  had  a  tendency  to  accelerate  their  progressive  depopulation.  And  yet 
theirnuinbers  have  decreased  with  appalling  rapidity.  They  are  in  a  state  of  perpet- 
ual hostility,  and  it  is  believed  there  is  not  a  tribe  between  the  Mississippi  and  the 
Tacitic,  which  has  not  some  enemy  to  flee  from  or    to   pursue.     The   war  flag  id 


lif 


r;*"*'*'^!^ 


i-!»?'».i 


■%" 


on  lU  nmoml  of  the  Udiam. 


VI 


J  I  11     „™,  the  mt  song  uniung  tlireus''  ""'' 

any^mput.tion  upon  the  n.otivcs  ot  U.l  cxterniin- 

We  perfectly  a,reo  .tth  Ute  wnter  -    ^  ^^a  Ks^on^^  ^^^  ^^     ^ 
atii.g  hostilities  of  the  Indians  t    bcs   ^n  l  ^^^  ^^.  ^j^^^^^    ,,o,,i, 

to   Reflect  on  the  l-*^;*;^  ^^^f.^^ated  c^ 
these  tribes  be  removed,  m  one  con„r  ^ 

Our  first  is  from  that  m  IH-U).  Unrestrained  by  moral 

.- Reckless  of  con.equenees,  1>-^  ^l**-' ^/l     X'        '5«1'«^''"S   ''"  *'"  '"'1 

coJerLous,    whatever  hi.   pa..o,^  I^optju^d^^   ^_._^^    '-"-""  ^^^^H 

:S'- =0^  ^vS.;r  t£:.^'Tlf^,t.r  n£a.e.  ^    U..^.oe^y^;..  he 

know,  only  by  P-^-^^'-^^^rties  o    b    S  -l.-lb  i"  ^'-  '"''^"'^•^Uor 
n  tin.l  of  fimilv  1  ffiiment ;  by  tlie  ues  ui  t  ^^^^  criminal  coite, 

ay  ai°  ro  l^l'i-  a.  other  associations  are  -;  f^ ^^^^^ '  fj  ,,uuive  dutie.  to  en- 

ncfcourts,no^mcers  nopun.hmen^  J'-y^^^        .^^^^^^  ^,.,  i„  .^^^ 

force,  no  debt,  to  <^"11'^^*'   '^^^j^X  ^ny  people  to  be.     Injuries  are  icdiessea 


Our  next  is  from  the  article  in  18-2G. 


Our  next  is  from  the  article  .u  .^^^  ^^^^^^^  ^^^^^  ^^^  ^^^^  ^„. 

.<  The  constitution  of  their  society    and  the  t^-.X^  explanation  it  requires 
fiether,  furnish  a  paradox,  ^vh,cb  has  ncv  e^  i  ecu  ^^J^^  ^^,,^^^^  "P^^''^^^'"" '^ 

AVe  saV  Ihcv  have  no  government.     ^"^  f '^^  ^heir  lives   and  property   are 
Ix,  c^tLr  in-rewaids  '^^V--f-^^  ^^  h  mselves.  and  xvith  other  tribes, 
f.r(,.,1    and  their  political  relations  amoni,/"  •.    ^j^^.^  to  deeds  of  vi- 

!:"  d      ';.:s^-a.  '  n-e  they  then  ^V^^  ^^^  '^^^,  ,,,„„.«  prin- 
o  encc,-  or  have  they  discovered,  -"^  '  "^"^^^\  •  .^  ,vith  the  two  great  mo  ives 
:;Lof  action  in  human  >'=^;[^' -^£  .  '^:^.^  have  hen.tot<,re  ,^  ed^ 
of  hope  and  fear,  vipon  f  "f  ^  °  ''"  ,-,1^"  of  nu.vder,  traiupuUv  fold  In       an- 
VliN-  does  the  Indian,  Avho  has  been  b  ."i>  i  ,,,vait  the  retnbutne 

^t  about  his  head,  and,  seating  InmM^P-^'-^^^  ,^^^^„,  ,„aev  similar  cu^- 
st^'oke  from  the  relation  ol  the  f^^;^^  ^;„  ,„„eeive  of  no  motive  which 
cmstancos,  would  llee,  "^^  .^^l    '  ^^  ^sac    hce.     Those  Ind  ans,  who  have 

,vonld  induce  him  to   -;^';»;,^;^  ,„  ^^  ^n-endered  themselves  ior  trial. 
,,urdered  our  citizens,  h.uc,eneK 

We    finish   ottr   ^^i^'^'-'t^^'J^^Ss^^ ^  ^Y'^P^^^^'y  ^^  '^^^'"f 
,,,,,,  by  this  -ntcr    lnl^^,-^-^'^^   ^^^  ,hich   we  ^vish 

l^ll^lTh^^^Serilp^r^tt  present  interesting 


% 


>-^>.< 


28 


Examination  of  Gov.  C\ 


ass 


nnv  w^.  .  .n  .      '  Tc      '    ''"  e^^^nm^nt  nor  people  of  the  United  Stntea,  hnvo 
any  wish  to  conceal  fro...  tl.o.selvcs,  ..or  fron.  tin' world.  tl,„t  there  is  upon  their 
f.   ..tK..r.   a  wretched,    forlorn  people,  looking  to  the,.,  for  support  n.ul  ,  ,  , t  e  i ,, 
ce  ieTourT"  fT^  '=l''""^"("'^  their  justice  n„d  hu,..:.„i,  .'    These  people    "l 

weiL  8ur  oii.ided.      I  he    Indians    were    then    stionjr,    and  we  were  weak  ■    and 

111    r  hir  wl^Se'f  1"'"^"  7''''  '''-  '"='="^'-^'''  '■'  ""^  ^P'"*^  "f  n::.rh!d'aftS 
he  fo'rtn^  .      r  .='  r*^.""  "«"  ""'^"■■*to'»«'i  '"   observe  g.-eut   ...uiatio...,  in 

torv  nt .  r  M  "*  'V'."'  '^''  ''='""  «"'""'•'•  '■'''«  PnH.uM...,t  poi.UH  of  their  hist- 
ory arc  before  the  world,  a.,d  will  go  dow..  unchanged  to  p„s  erity.  I.,  the  n' v- 
out.onofafewages,   this  fair  portion   of  the  continent,    which   was  th eirs    has 

rDne,    fj' K^'ri'"';/'''-''''  '''""'''  .:"".'  .!'""'•  g'"''^'-'''.  ''"v«3  disappeared,  or  are    dis- 
appearing, before  the  progress  of  civilization. 

father' ''ZlI:"l"*'''l"^'''^''''''V'"•''''.''  ';'■"'•'■''"''  P'^''^''^''  "P  tho  hones  of  their 

tiers.      Iheir  population  has  d.m.nished  with  lamentable  rapidity.     Those  tribes 

a    re.na,n,  l.ke  the   one  colun.ns  of  u  fallen  temple,  exhibit' hut  U.c  s      r  I  cs  of 

the,     former    strength  ;  and  many  others  l.ve  only  in    the  names,    vvl  el    have 

reached  us  through  the  earlier  accounts  of  travelle.s  and  historians." 

Before  we  proceed  to  correct  his  mistatements  and  refute  some  of 
his  tin  ounded  assertions,  we  wish  to  remark  on  two  peculiar  points 
ot  sophistry  ,n  the  whole  of  what  he  has  written  on   the   character  of 
the  Indiaiis  ni  the  htto  number  of  tlie  North  American  Review      It  is 
evidently   iis  ohject  to  exhibit  that  character  in  the  most  gross  and  de- 
graded colors  in  winch  it  can  possibly  be   drawn  ;  and   even  to  make 
It  appear  that  such  "  wandering  hordes  of  barbarians"  can  be  entitled 
to  no  rights,  which  would  resist  the  tiniversal  progress  of  white  and  civ- 
ilized population  lor  any  period  of  time,  or  over  any,  the  smallest  ex- 
tent ot  territory.     He   gradually  endeavors  to  prove,   by  the  darkest 
display   of  their  savage  ivretchedness  and  inferiority,  that   there  is 
somcllnng  m  their  very  nature  which  renders  them  absolutely  incapa- 
ble of  even  approximating   to  the  condition  of  the  whites.     This  in- 
capability, lest  his  readers  should  forget  it,  he  is  ever  and  anon  assert- 
ing as  ho  finds  opportunity.     Their  nature  is  such  that  they  really 
cannot  be  improved  by  civilization  or  meliorated  by  Christianity     For 
this  purpose,  and  as  if  most  of  the  tribes  of  Indians  now  in  the  Uni- 
ted b  ates  were  not  widely  dilfercnt  in  their  circumstances  and   char- 
ac  er  Iroin  the  race  ot  Aborigines  which  inhabited  this  continent  on  its 
hrst  discovery,  he  goes  back  to  the  elaborate  descriptioti  of  Dr.   Rob- 
ertson,  and  devotes  page  after  page  to  the  delineation  of  the  "life  and 

tr^bX  i"  "'  f"  r^?'  '  ^'''^'"S  for  granted  that  not  a  single 
tribe  las  improved  a  whit  Irom  the  earliest  period  at  which  they  be- 
came the  subject  of  observation  to  the  preselu  day.  He  then  goes  on 
to  reason  abovu  the  obligation  of  '  reclaiming  and^ultivatin.  die  soi  ' 
imposed  by  J\ature  on  all  men,  and  the  noxessity  of  coercin.  tho.e 
ravage  communities  who  will  not  obey  this  obligation.     From  Till  this 

uTed  s?..f  T"'"^"^  •!■  ^'^  '''  '^  ^-y  «''^--  — l--n  that  the 
rnmm^..  r''' '  P'''.''' ''^'"'^ '^^  any  thne  to  dispos.sess  a  savage 

community  and  occupy  their  soil  for  the  general  benefit  of  society 


-W 


•i»3^(*«i»*7 


m 


f 


29 

on  the  Rcmoml  of  the  Indians. 

e  tiirp  Thcro  is  another 
,,a  the  arco,npr.sl>monl  of  tl'V-'^^'f^rro  nTlMicturc^  of  the  l.urhjr- 
co  elusion  t..  ul.ich  l.o  l.nngH  l"""--,-'  "'"  \\\^/„„i  innni;  al.lo  to  take 
^     u     .nl-ecility  of  th.  ^-»'-;;;;      ,       Jl,ty  of  iu.livi.h.al  states 

to  oversee  and  le..slatu  tor  all  thos.  ^^^^^^^ 

'^.easonin,.  as  he  v-^sses  to  i^-  ---;;;^.:1;:  ^i:::::.!-  con- 
tion  of  I.Hli'-u.s,  the  elVoct  o   tl,  .    ..p  '     -^^  ^  ..roke.s,   Choctaws,  and 
CO    e  of  tl'o^^'  ""^^  '"   ''"   '^'''''  wl  Incler  of  stubl>or.>  au.l  teronous 
'n^her  tribes,  under  the  ^^••;'^"\;  ^J^  \  ..j.^t  in  then.s.-lves   nn,h 
ava^es  ;  to  whon.  b.s  pruun,.    .,     ^^-S^,,,,^^    ,,^   than  .1    k,  ha 
seentto  l)e  more  a,.i.hcab  e,  an       e.s  ,^,,,c,niblo  ni  their  cm- 

attempted  to  apply  H^Mn  'l'^''^     ,.';^.^   ,  „  ^„a  Christianity,  as  that  of  he 
d,un  and  so  far  advanced  m  ^-'^'''''-^   ""  ^"    ^.i^i,  the  admission  ot  what 
C  io  ees.      lie  Unevv  thats..ch  an  »1   ;       '    ,,,,,(1  have  been  re- 
ttdly  .me  in  re.ar.l  to  the  ^^^Z.^,-,,  ;  and  he  thereto^ 
voltin.Mo  the  .noral  sense  ot  tlu,  vv   o  ^renerally  upon  his 

ar    dfv  here  leaves  them  out  ot  ^ '^•-  \' J'  „,,,ecile   ^ava^es.      Ho  hke- 
d^Stiou  of  horce  an.l  "H.r.U.r...^and^nu         ^^^   ^^^   i„aians,  en- 

tise  Lunm  the  ri'rht  to  'f  ^^^2^^   ''    t,  ^f  all  the   ri^ht  of  this  kunl. 
kuvorin.  to  make  Ins  readers  tor^t«t     ^^^^.^  ^^^^^^   ^^^^^^^^^  ^^,,. 

^,l,ich  we  do  or  can  P"^^.^^^'  'r^^       .t  ons  of  inviolable  treaties. 

Tnission  and  agreement  '":''^^;^  '^/^'^aeavorin.  to  prove  the  .mpos- 
Another  fallaey  which  he   uses  in  i-  .^j^  ^,,^  „„„d  might 

sibTli  ty  of  civih/ingthe  ^'f/'^"  '  '^^  aUo.iher  from  the  character 
easily  be  blinded,  is  this  :    He    reasoj  au  ^^^^  ^,  ^  ,      „ 

^rLe  vvho  luive  arrived  at  mt^hood  -^;^^  ,,e  satisfied  with  the.r 
moulded  by  the  customs  of  savage  ^^^^^  ,^  ^leir   own   institu- 

^ble  how  unwilling  a  savage  wouM  ^^^..y  As  if  this 
h  tionary  and  labuiious  diUie  o  c  -l.z  ^^^^  ^^^^  ^.^^^  ^f'^^^ 
excha.xre  could  only  be  made  at  ^^^^'^  f  ^,,^  ^ther.  As  it  there 
the  one^condition  into  the  nil  ve  "^'^^  j'  j-  ,Ue  youn.  and  coming 
were  no  process  by  which  the  P^';^  \"^^';;\,r  habits,  and  intnMlnced 
Z^^Z  may  I- gvadiudly    onned  to  bette^^^^^^   ^^^^^^  -f '"'S: 

to  -i    more  elevated  existence      f^  'V'    j  the  aacd,  instead  ot  being 
Ve  to  be  all  wasted  on  tl'e.bardenc     ■  ml    '    j  ^^;i^^  .^^^ 
^l  •   ,ly  directed  to  the  Christian  ed-U  on  o^  ^^^^^  ^^^^^  .^^  ,„,,,. 

1    U  .nidontlv  his  ob  eel  to  make  Ins  rcautr      ^  ^  ^j^^.  „„ssion- 

"ill  •  o«r:.ct  11,0  «l,„l.;  l'»"S'    ;  ■'  't^'  „  °„    l„,.k  .1  tteir  prucuca 

Kt;;;r;,;:«  r"ir;;^^;:;:;'r  ^:r:''o:r;-;s:  I 


30 


Exnmlnntion  of  Gov.  Cass 


npcaird  and  insinuated  in  some  form  or  otlior,  time  aftor  limo 
tii.ou^rl.ont.  iho  (•ours,,  of  Lis  ar.icl.".  J  I,,  has  not  stated  one;  but  after 
liiakm;^  tliis(i..r|aration,  for  the  truth  of  which  he  leaves  his  re'iders 
to  trust  to  his  own  hon.'sty,  he  proceeds  to  draw  that  l.roa.l  and  dark 
im-tureol  the  suvajre  life  an.l  character,  of  which  we  have  spoken. 
1  Ins  picture,  drawn  Iron,  accounis  nearly  a  hundred  years  old,  stands 
in  the  place  ol  "  lacts,"  and  we  douht  not  it  was  his  intention  that  it 
should  appear  in  the  view  of  his  readers  as  tl...  hopeless  res.dt  of  all 
tlie  efforts  which  have  Iuum.  or  can  he  inad(>,  to  improve  and  Christian- 
ize our  xnl.appy  hrethren  of  the  wil.lerncss.  Ho  wished  it  mi^rht  pass 
iommmfiu  ''''"''        "         I"'"^''""'  operation  of  those  efforts" on  the 

We  shall  now  proceed  to  point  out  and  to  prove  the  falsehood  in 
somcot  the  assertKms  of  (Jov.  Cass,  commeucinir  with  those  which 
occur  in  the  (.xtracls  already  nuale.  'J'hc  first  is  Ibund  at  the  do.e  of 
our  hrst  extract,  in  regard  to  certain  events  which   are  declared  to  bo 

too  remote  to  inOuence  any  Just  view  of  this  subject."  With  this 
declaration  we  may  compare  the  lullowiny  moral  propabilities  of  the 
case   exhibited    by    William   i'enu,  fairly  and   without    exaggeratioiK 

"  Twenty  years  licnce,  Texas  whetlier  it  sl.;ill  heJonK-  t"  tl'e  Unitc^l  States  or 
no  w,  1  uue  been  scUlcdl.y  the  ciesccndun.s  of  tluAngio-AmeS,'  Tl^ 
sue  0  Miss.n.n  wJl  then  U-  populous.  There  uill  be  i^Li  n.ads  thmuLd,  I  e 
new  Indian  comitry,  and  caravans  will  be  p.assin,^r  an<I  repassinL^  in  manv  <  Irec- 
H..,s  1  he  ennffrant  Indians  will  be  denationalL-.l.  and'  will  have  o  con  mo„ 
bondofun,on.      *  *  .  AnotluT  renunai  will  soon  be  nee™. 

It  the  enn,£,n-ants   become  poov,  and  are   transformed  into  vaijabonds.  it  will 
be  ev.denee  enouffl.   that  no  benevolent  Ireatn.ent  can  save  then,,  and  it  wi  I  be 

d  they  n.ay  as  well  be  <lr,ven  beyond  the  Rocky  Mountains  at  m,ce.     If    hey 
live  com  ortably   ,t  will  prove,  that  five  times  as  manv  white  people  misrht    ve 

Too  )'o  ;;    V"    ""' '" r'"     ''"^^'^"IIJ  ."^-^  ><='^'-  '"---'cV.  there \vill  pr 3  1  -  be 
4,000  000  of  onr  population  west  of  the   Mississippi,  :i,ul  fdtv  vears   hence    nnt 
less  than  15.000,000.     IJ,  that  time,  the  pressure'  Ip'on  the  l.iliS  wi  11  Ic'  m  cl 
hi  ir  "       IT'  "'  r^'T'  '^■'''^''  '""^'  "lliiTiatelv  be  std^lued  and  in 

comuiy:-  ''''  *'"'"  ""  '^""''■'■^  "*^'"-'  '"■"^•"'  ^■''^•'■"'^^'^ 

Our  reader.s  have  seen  an  extract  from  Gov.  Cass'  opinion  of  the 
character  ot  the  Indians,  in  which  he  makes  the  fbllowin-r  assertions 
Cioverument  is  unknown  among  them."  "  They  have  no  criminal' 
cotle,  no  courts,  no  oflicer.,  no  punishments.  They  have  no  relative 
duties  to  enforce,  no  debts  to  collect,  no  property  to  restore.  'I'liev 
are  in  a  state  ot  nature,  as  much  .so  as  it  is  possible  for  any  people  to 
e  1  hcs.-  remarks  are  found  on  page  74  of  the  article.  On  pa-re 
. M  l.c  remarks  J5,it  there  are  barbarous  tribes  in  the  world  who 
do  not  feel  the  force  of  these  restraints,  who  have  neither  relbno  ,  no^ 
mora  ity  n-ither  public  opinion  or  public  law.  to  check  their^propen' 
sity  for  uai  ,  whose  code  rc.pures  them  to  murder,  and  not  to  subdue- 
to  plunder  and  devastate,  and  not  to  secure.  Are  such  tribes  to  b^ 
admitted  in  o  the  commumty  of  nations,  ignorant  of  every  thincr  but 
their  own  barbarous  practices,  and   utterly  regardless   of  their  "own 


¥ 


'T'rh 


on  the  Removal  of  the  l,vUctns. 


31 


H.  applies  nucha  torlp- 


'1'"""'  '";■'  '"i;",;;..  .  ;  a,.ei«.-  '-i'-':;'s  ^^^i  ' .  ."».. 

,tute  ^«-'"  "'\    ^principles  of  Dr.co  uro  -^-^^^y^  \;  -.lalion  of  this 

"■'  „""c  o        MW;.;..-  «,r«a.  Gov.  Cass  a  .  ns,  ,._^^^^^^  ^ 
lu  cmc...  to  sn,.l..-l.  ."  »">',,';»',;•    I  ^I.K-I,  relator  .»  S"-;;  ^^^^ 
inestic  improvement. 


li 


« 


sr.t 


5£SI3iP«rt«w>iRS -^ 


33 


Examination  of  Gov.  Cms 


(lov.  Cass  nsscrls  tlint  "  tlicrc  ia  no  just  roason  to  believe,  that  any 
(till-  of  the  tribt'M,  within  tho  whole  extent  of  our  hoiiiulury,  has  hecn 
increanitiLt  in  ntnnhcrm  iit  any  jk  riod  Minrc  they  huvt-  Itccn  known  to 
u«."  Uo  iniiy  conipiire  this  with  the  liiilowiniij  assertion  in  tiie  Cher- 
okee Phoenix.  "  'V\w.  ('herokccs  have  been  increasin;i  within  the  hiMt 
20  or  !10  years  ;  and  of  latt;  in  a  coininon  ratio  of  increase  ainonjj  tho 
whites.  Anion^f  tiie  (,'lioctuws  and  Ciiirkusaws  tlu!  increase  is  proba- 
bly ncNirly  as  rapid."  This  tnny  be  a  large  estinnite,  yet  wc  cannot 
doubt  they  arc  on  the  increase. 

Wc  are  confiruicd  in  this  opinion  by  the  testitnony  of  Col.  McKen- 
ney,  who  says  in  liis  "  llcport  and  |)r()cc(Mlin(rs,"  subiniited  to  Con- 
gress in  I.*«'.IS,  "  Tii(!  jjopuiation  of  the  Chickasaw  nation  may  bo 
put  down  at  four  thousand  ;  they  haviui,'  increased  about  four  iunidred 
witliin  the  last  liv<!  or  six  years."  It  is  rendered  still  more  cc^rtain  in 
reL^ard  to  the  Cherokees  i)y  the  statement  of  David  Brown,  which  (\)l. 
Mc  Kenney  accepts  as  correct.  lie  jjives  the  census  of  that  tribe  in 
the  years  |S|i)  ujid  l><--2.'>  and  concludes,  "  If  this  summary  of  Chero- 
kee poi)ulalion  from  the  census  is  correct,  to  say  nothin^r  of  those  of 
foreii,Mi  extract,  we  find  tliat  in  six  years  the  increase  has  been 
;{,.'>(>:{  .souls.  If  we  jud<re  the  biturc  by  the  past,  to  what  nundx'r  will 
the  Cherokee  population  swell  in  IH.Ki  f  'J'jie  calculation  of  William 
Penn,  therefore,  is  less  than  the  truth,  that"  when  Georgia  shall  have 
a  li'iiKlrcd  souls  to  the  s(iuare  mile,  (and  her  .soil  is  cajiablt!  of  sus- 
tainiiii.''  a  larger  nuiid)er  than  that,)  the  Cherokees  may  have  lour  times 
as  many  to  the  scpiare  mile  as  Georgia  now  contains.  " 

Gov.  Cass  asks,  as  if  there  were  not  a  doubt  of  the  truth  of  his  implied 
assertion,  "  Where  is  the  tribe  of  Indians,  who  have  cbangc'd  their 
manners,  or  who  have  exhibited  any  just  estimate  of  the  improve- 
ments around  them,  or  any  wish  to  |)articipate  in  them  ?"  He  re|)cat3 
this  sentiment,  which  he  cannot  but  know  to  be  false,  in  a  variety  of 
forms  thronglioiit  the  article,  and  each  time  with  additional  confi- 
dence, as  if  it  added  another  to  his  irrefutable  arguments,  and  as  if 
there  were  no  such  nations  as  the  Cherokees  or  Choctaws  in  existence. 
On  patje  72  this  assertion  comes  up  in  the  followiiiir  shape.  "  And 
in  the  whole  circle  of  their  existence  it  would  Ix;  dillicult  to  point  to  a 
single  advantage  which  they  have  derived  from  their  actiuaintance 
with  the  Europeans."  Thus  it  is  reiterated  from  page  to  page  with  so 
mucli  pertinacity  of  falsehood,  that  we  are  inclined  to  believe  he  is 
merely  trying  as  an  amusing  experiment  the  practical  truth  of  his  the- 
ory in  regard  to  the  Indians,  that  wrou<r,  lung  pirsisttd  in,  at  kiigth 
htcotitif  rii^lit. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  Gov.  Cass  declares  with  much  candor 
that  bis  knowlodgo  of  the  Indians  is  contiiied  princi|)ally  to  the  North- 
ern tribes,  and  tlr.it  he  has  the  least  aciiuaiiitance  with  the  Cherokees, 
Chickas,\ws,  Clloctaw^s  and  Creeks, — the  very  tribes  whose  inter- 
ests are  most  deeply  involved  in  the  (juestion  on  which  he  has  writ- 
ten, and  against  some  of  wliom  he  has  utterfnl,  as  we  have  seen,  the 
most  prompt  and  sweeping  slanders.     We  give  him  full  credit  in  tho 


on  th  Rtmoval  of  the  Imham. 

r      „«  no  other   Hupposition,  except 

.frHsiou  or  ».if '«"-!;-;:,^:in,:;L..i.  ^.1.  -.  -count  .o, 


,,ypntl>e.istl.uthH,noraU^cnc^^     -H.at  our  nnul 


olt>liir-ilt!i'»'l" 
rt'liiiiKi-  c.iu 


.flliou  of  I'ulscliooi 


uliitioiis,  \v«'«ji 


tlio 

,l,.rs  luiiy  Ui'ow  wliat 
,„U,liiseuuMi>r;iUoi' 


luiH  bi'oii  al 


I,  the  tribes  to  ->;::"!.'v:.;::\;;;"Js,theWy.uuiots  t,...r>.i.w 


tn 


„t\ue.l."  TlT  Iroq; 


Hires  the 

(llllUIJl^,   -  ,         t,     , 

B.cs,tlu.r..s..s.tl..l.^^ 


,    •  1. ni.lv  tlH-ou"hoiu  ui<^ 

,,|,„io  url.cl.'  "f  11""  " '""  •  .""'  ■  Oft  o  '■  fats  >vl,..-.l.  li  "'=  !»»■"  "'■""^ 


whole  urticlc  ot  tins  wriiu   ,  -v,  .  .  ,        ^^  ^^,,^^^,,,  „  ^,,.  u,;,;,.  ..>.v.- 
-. ,.1  .T.niind  work  ol  "'s  w"""'  .1   .  , ,  „„n,.,.,p(l  almost  a  u  n 


for 

to  the  condition  ol  the  ^  lu  i«)^«^  ^  '  ads  ancfnirnt   lu  *:i\  '"'•  'y,'"' 

and  Christiiunty,  which  arc  itsu        j 

thcv  cannot  be  doubted.  ^  j,  assertions   in  regard  to 


ll 


"^^ 


34 


Examination  of  Gov.  Cass 


the  Rev.  Isaac  McCoy,  a  Baptist  Missionary  among  the  Northern 
tribes  ;  and  at  the  conimcncomcnt  ol"  the  article  quotes  from  tlie  "  Re- 
marks npon  Indian  Reform"  Ijy  that  gcnth  man.  These  remarks,  like 
Gov.  Cass's  knowledge,  arc  confined  almost  wholly  to  the  Northern 
tribes.  Towards  the  close  of  the  article  Gov.  Cass  has  occasion  again 
to  call  in  the  aid  of  Mr.  McCoy's  opinion  on  the  Removal  of  the  In- 
dians ;  and  it  is  an  amusing  instance  of  the  reckless  confidence  with 
which  he  gives  the  lie  to  all  who  differ  from  him,  that  when  this 
gentleman  names  the  Cherokees  and  other  Southern  tribes  as  particu- 
hir  exceptions  to  the  truth  of  his  remarks,  Gov.  Cass  flatly  contradicts 
his  own  witness,  and  accuses  him,  in  a  note,  of  being  "  ignorant  of  the 
actual  state  of  things  among  the  Cherokees,  and  of  the  utter  poverty 
and  misery,  and  we  may  add  oppression,  of  the  great  body  of  these 
people  !" — these  very  people,  in  regard  to  whom  Gov.  Cass  himself 
had  previously  confessed  his  own  ignorance ! 

On  page  71  he  makes  the  following  assertions  in  regard  to  this 
tribe. 

"  That  individuals  among'  the  Ciierokees  have  acquired  property,  and  with 
it  more  enlaifred  views  and  juster  notions  of  tlie  value  of  our  instituuons,  and 
the  unprofitableness  of  their  own,  we  have  little  doubt.  And  we  have  as  little 
doubt,  that  this  change  of  opinion  and  condition  is  confined,  in  a  s^reat  measure, 
to  some  of  the  half -breeds  and  their  immediate  connections.  These  are  not  suffi- 
cieiitlv  numerous  to  ntfcct  our  g'eneral  pro])osition  ;  and  the  causes  which  have 
led  to  this  state  of  ihinp^s,  are  too  peculiar  ever  to  produce  an  extensive  result. 
An  analysis  of  these  causes  is  not  within  the  tas'i  wc  hace  assigned  to  ourselves." 

Had  Gov.  Cass  attempted  an  analysis  of  these  causes  he  would  not 
have  found  them  "  .00  peculiar  ever  to  produce  an  extensive  result." 
The  progress  of  Christianity,  which  is  the  great  and  predominating 
cause,  will  continue  to  operate  as  long  as  the  Indians  exist,  and  to 
produce  its  result  as  extensively  as  the  limits  of  the  tribe  will  permit, 
and  until  not  an  individual  shall  be  left  beyond  its  power.  Our  rea- 
ders may  judge  of  the  truth  of  his  assertion  in  regard  to  the  half- 
brcfds,  from  the  following  facts.  At  one  of  the  eight  missionary 
stations  among  the  Cherokees  there  were  in  the  school.".,  in  the  month 
of  August  last,  2.5  Cherokee  boys  and  27  Cherokee  girls,  besides  the 
children  of  the  mission  families.  One  of  the  churches  in  the  same 
tribe  contained,  in  the  month  of  July  last,  38  members,  exclusive  of 
the  mission  family,  of  whom  ;JG  were  Indians.  From  the  Choctaw 
tribe  we  have  more  full  and  minute  information  in  regard  to  this 
particular,  but  wc  have  no  reason  to  suppose  that  the  improvement  in 
this  tribe  is  more  extensive  among  full  blooded  Indians  than  in  the 
tribe  of  the  Cherokees ;  indeed  we  may  infer  that  it  is  less  so  from  the 
general  inferiority  of  the  former  tribe,  compared  with  the  latter,  in  Chris- 
tian and  civil  improvement.  In  the  Choctaw  tribe,  in  seven  of  the 
schools  the  proportion  in  September  last  was  97  full  Choctaws  to  131 
mixed  or  half-fjrced.  In  one  of  the  schools  the  proportion  was  30  full 
Choctaws  to  G  mixed.  In  anotlier  it  was  17  full  Choctaws  to  3  mixed. 
These  facts  are  sufficient  for  our  present  purpose. 


"JTilT  ,  iir  -■--*.. 


„„  ,leBc«™I  «/"■««"'"• 


35 


on  !■'«■>'  '■ 

•    ■^  rlimax  of  misrepresen- 

After  .naUing  ^^^  l^sE^^"  U.  ^^u^^Xf^ 
tation,  till  at  l-J^I^'^^.^^ro^  the  face  of  the  who  o,  g bbc  tl  ^ 
n^ore  wretc bed  race  exU^      ^^  ^^  j^  I,    ^^^'"3 '»^ulon     .e  rcpresenta- 
Cherokeesl     "^^"''Vw.s  vnnclc  by  Oonjrrc.s    «P»"  ,^'^,3  from 

tions  of  t\ve  autlmrities  c^        ^^^^^^^.^^  ^^  j    ,vith  the  co  ^^  ^^^^ 

actual  starvation.  |  !^^'  ^  .^ticularly  «P'^^^»^'"S.  "«^J';J  „f  ^hom 
Cherokees,  of  whom  l^<l.'  Ji^,,,,vs,  Choctaws,  %/;  "f  ,'^rvc  as  an 
other  Southern  tr.^e      U^^^^  Sennnolcs  m  1    rjda      r^  ^.^  ^^„ 

he   seen.   ??-J«  ;,,:,, ebc^i'les  is  direct -dfo^We^^^^^  ,0  their  state 
example.      1  he  'f_\\,        j^dians  were  fictuaiiyr  ^^  ^^^^ 

final  argument ',  /«;    f  ^Vcn  compelled  to  a  removal  ot  ^^^^  j^^, 

of  starvation  by  havng  been    ^^l    ^^^^  '^""^"'iences  ^^'^  doubt  not 
same  '-^ure    as  that  wh.^      ,^,j^^  [^S  commumties ;  and 

seeking  to  drive  out  to 

Mississippi.  ,       1^  for  its  slanderous 

The  Allowing  .^^^;i;t^J:^^o.^o^.^'-''^ 

i:Srr;^e  :!r  U^Urtions.  ^^^^ 

rnade  by  these  Indians  m  c>^ -l^  ;^     ,^    ,,,,,,  pvess,  =;'"  "^^^^ffi;!  tidings,  tbat 

theiv  schools  and  P"''^'^' r .  ignorance  was  ended,  anu  ^^^.^  sincerely 

te  long  night  ot  abon  -d  ,g^^  .^  ^^,^^.^  ^°•,!^S^^  otf  from  exaggerated  rep- 
edge  had  dawned.  >>  '  ^^^,^6  can  dern  c  '  "  expectalions  never  to 
tin  we  should.     «"\;»^  J';;evcv  to  be  ^-V^'^^^^^coZ  with  a  powerful 

'v;  bave  melancholy  »^'' ^"J^i^.ate  them  ;v>lh  slave  .wu  ^^^^_^j^^  ,., reived 

rvovable  cotton  l'^'»^>^' ••'£!     And  so  long  a    tl  c  ^'S  .  ^,^,i  ^^  other 

ntUftcd    we  may  well  l'^"^'';,.„^^  to  the  support  ot  a  nc\\  i  ^         jons  upon 

Z^t  united  States,  are  apphul^  ^^^^^^  U.e  poor  e,.x.v^--  -P    ,,•,  ,,d  ob- 

*^^"^^^::r  Wgl-einthispara^a^^^^^ 

The  error  of  ^e  c  "  "§  ^^  ^,^  ^^^^j-,  pt^t^^^  "'/^f  j^^ets,  and  ex- 
,cady  mentioned,  as  vdl^^^  ^^^^^^^^^  ^^  ^^  ^^'.trt  for  the  improve- 
„ess  which  Go^^^;^,^,^  operation"  «    ^  \^^^te  .hould  go  into  a 


■^»"»i'""Vt8r»^ 


i  ? 


\i 


!;■ ;  J 


Tuxamination  of  Gov.  Cass 
our  readers,  would  suffer  it.     Wo  shall  therefore 


nor  the  patience  of 

content  ourselves  in  this  case  with  merely  answering  assertion  by 
assertion;  with  declaring  tliat  the  objects  to  which  the  "annuities," 
are  devoted,  are  ol  niore  real  importance  to  the  poor  than  to  the  rich : 
and  that,  till  we  see  some  cause  lor  remodelling  our  belief,  we  siiall 
continue  to  trust  to  the  declarations  ot  mi'^sionarics,  to  tlie  accounts  in 
the  Cherokee  Phtt'uix,  to  the  statements  ol'the  principal  chiefs  of  that 
tribe,  who  were  the  authorized  agents  to  our  government,  and  to  the 
reports  of  our  own  official  authorities,  rather  tiian  jjut  faith  in  Gov. 
Casss  whining  insinuations  and  "  melancholiv  ibrebodings,"  fortified 
tliough  they  be  with  tlie  candid  coniession  tiiat  he  knows  less  of  the 
bouthern  Indians  than  of  any  other  tribes,  and  must  necessarily  draw 
hisconclusions  respecting  the  Cherokees,  from  what  he  does  know  of  the 
wretciicd  tribes  a  tliousan<l  miles  distant.  We  have  besides  had  inter- 
course with  those  who  have  been  among  the  Cherokees,  and  who  de- 
clare that  the  impressions,  which  they  received  from  personal  observa- 
tion in  the  regard  to  the  advancing  civilization  and  Ciiristianity  of  that 
tribe,  were  stronger  than  any  which  had  been  previously  produced  in 
their  minds  by  the  statements  of  missionaries.  But  we  are  not  dispos- 
ed, like  Gov.  Cass,  to  leave  our  readers  to  trust  merely  to  our  own 
dictum  ;  wr  shall  exhibit/<7r/.<  ,•  and  our  statements  will  be  so  confirm- 
ed by  the  testimonies  of  public  individuals,  that  no  unprejudiced  mind 
can  avoid  a  willing  assent  to  their  truth. 

We  acknowledge  wo  are  already  tired  with  hunting  this  writer 
through  the  windings  of  liis  sophistry,  and  pointing  out  his  misrepre- 
sentations ;  but  our  fear  that  many  will  be  persuaded  by  his  plausibility, 
who  do  not  detect  his  errors,  induces  us  to  ])rocee(l  iri  our  task. 

His  next  false  assertion  which  we  shall  notice  is  this  :  He  maintains 
that  the  jurisdiction,  which  the  United  States  possess  over  the  Indians, 
IS  founded  on  maximsof  right  and  expediency  ;  whereas  it  is  an  incon- 
trovertible truth  that  all  the  power,  which  our  Government  can  lawfully 
exert  over  them,  has  been  given  to  the  United  States  in  solemn  treaties, 
by  themselves— wisely  and  deliberately  given,  and  for  their  own  bene- 
fit. But  this  writer  sometimes  talks  as  if  he  were  absolutely  uncon- 
scions  that  such  treaties  ever  did  or  ever  could  have  an  existence, 
rinding  that  the  jurisdiction  which  we  are  permitted  to  exercise  is 
partial,  and  looking  upon  it  as  a  singular  "  anomaly,"  he  sets  himself 
to  discover  its  origin.  On  page  T<j  he  asserts  that  "  our  system  of 
intercourse  has  resulted  from  our  superiority  in  physical  and  moral 
power,"  (Our  readers  may  here  inquire  winch  party  was  slrono-est, 
\vhen  intercourse  first  commenced  between  the  Indians  and' the 
whites.)  He  goes  on  to  speak  of  their  being  "  as  wild,  and  fierce 
and  irreclaimable  as  the  animals,"  &^c.  &c.',  and  concludes,  "The 
result  of  all  this  was  necessarily  to  comjiel  the  latter  (their  civilized 
neighbors)  to  prescribe,  from  time  to  time,  the  principles  which  should 
regulate  the  intercourse  between  the  parties,"  Sec.  Again,  on  page 
J»,  he  enumerates  .some  of  the  "municipal  regulations"  of  the  United 
States  in  regard  to  the  Indians,  enacted  by  virtue  of  permission  granted 


I 


ontheUeMOvalofihlndi..'^^ 


37 


,„,„.«.  lie  r- ''-.r:?";i"s;."'"' '«::::5: 


':z:'::^:xs^^^i!i-:^j:s:^ 


resu 


,U-U-ct  this  writer 


.(1  Statcji  can  exercise 


110  jiow 


lilt 
or 


nolo.".  to\,.u.,.  ;|;:;  :';i:-l?:  ,,i;..M^ic-;;;;.t;'Sr 

<  Noccpsitv,'    1^   al\\.i\!^i'"       ^„  i,.,vi„cT  sanctioned  e\ or)  in... 

S;i,M"  secretary  ^^-^---n;  ^  Sns  ;    aiul  'argued,  that  ^ve 
r^nhlesinourintereouije^th  U^^^^^^^   „,,M   h-c  been  the  case 

,,uruhl  now  P---'\;       ;  T.    V'^'i^-  -^^*  ''^"''^"^'"'rn.nnntion.    A 
hcretoi;.re,  upon  1-   ^  ^^^^/tiessity,  in  H.o  l?''"!^'^;;;;  ."^'Slnnable. 

But  tlun-o  IS  no  joIk  \   or  g,.„,sP5t  imprudence  "'  -  . 

pretence  of  necessity  woul    K     ''    ^  ^^„,^,.  ..j,,  sliouh    >  e.«l^-^ 


•w; 


1^ 


III' 


38  Eitaminnhon  rf  Gov.  Cass. 

There  is  no  more  necessity,  at  this  moment,  that  our  government 
shoiiM  deprive  the  Cherokees  and  Choctaws  of  their  independence 
and  country,  than  that  we  sliould  seize  the  Canadas,  or  Cul)a,  or 
Ilayti.  To  talk  of  such  a  necetssiiy  is  an  insult  to  any  man  of  ordinary 
intelligence  ;  aiul  even  a  moderate  share  of  honesty  "would  prevent  its 
benig  mentioned.  Tiiere  is  indeed  the  necessity  which  avaricious 
selfishness  always  brings  with  it,  and  pleads  to  justify  the  most  atro- 
cious acts  of  cruelty,  it  is  the  moral  compulsion  of  depravity,— a  com- 
pulsion which  supersedes  all  other  obligations,  however  strong,— a 
compulsion,  whose  inlluence  its  subject  imagines  he  conceals,  when 
he  alleges  the  "  considerations  of  expediency  and  necessity,"  to 'excuse 
the  guilt  of  his  usurpation  or  extortion. 

Without  stopping  to  remark  any  farther  on  the  moral  character  of 
his  rca.sonmgs,  we  shall  here  simply  quote  the  article  of  treaty  by 
which  "authority"  was  ceded  to  the  United  States  from  the  Indians. 
The  same  reasoning  and  doctrine  which  he  has  here  used,  is  expanded 
through  almost  every  one  of  the  pages  which  we  are  now  about  to  ex- 
amine, and  which  contain  the  most  involved  and  perplexino-  portions 
ot  his  sophistry.  "  * 

Article  Oih  in  the  treaty  with  the  Cherokees,  concluded  at  Hope- 
well,  ]7hir>.     "  For  the  benefit  and  comfort  oi'  the  Indians,  and  for 
the  prevention  of  injuries  and  oppressions  on  the  part  of  the  citizens 
or  Indians,  the  United  States  in   Congress   assembled  shall   have  the 
sole  and  exclusive  right  of  regulating  the  trade  with  the  Indians,  and 
managing  all  their  affairs  in  such  manner  as  they  think  proper."  'Lest 
our  readers  should  nuagine  that  the  indefiniteness  of  the  latter  phra.se 
renders  the    power  of  the  United    States  general  and  unlimited    we 
must  remind  them  that  the  ounranty  of  the  sovereign  possession  of  the 
Cherokee  territory  and  thelimitations.stipulations,  and  explanations  in 
other  treaties,  and  in  this  treaty,  render  such  a  construction  impossible. 
Gov.  Cass  takes  great  pains  to  bring  forward   a  decision  of  the  Su- 
preme Court  of  New  York,  which  rested  upon   the  ground   that  the 
small  tribes  of  Indians,  remaining  in  that  state,  ar'e  not  now  inde- 
pendent sovereignties.    What  then?  If  the  Oneidas,  reduced  to  a  small 
number,  residing  on  a  reservation  of  a  few  square  miles,  surrounded  by 
a  dense  population,  exposed  to  the  corrupting  example  of  numberles.s 
vicious  white  men,  and  having  held  intercourse  with  the  Dutch  colony  • 
then  with  the  English  colony, then  with  the  United  States,  and  with  New 
York,  during  a  period  of  nearly  two  hundred  years;  if  such  a  remnant 
had,  to  use  the  words  of  the  judge,  '  lost  its  independence,'  what  would 
this  prove  about  the  Cherokees  and  Choctaws  ?     Would  it  prove  that 
the  Cherokees,  residing  much   secluded  from  the  whites,  surrounded 
by    a  comparatively  sparse  population,  on  a  tract  of  country,  amontr 
the  mountains,  more  than  1.50  miles  long  and  70  or  80  miles  broad" 
that  such  a  people,   fortified  by  numerous  treaties,  and  assured    in  dif- 
ferent ways,  by  the  functionaries  of  the  United  States,  more  tlian  fifty 
times  a  year  lor  fifty  years  in  succession,  that   their  country  should 
never  be  taken  from  them    without  their  consent  ;  that   the  govern- 
ment of  the  United  States  wished  them  to  become  civilized,  and  re 


on  the  Removal  of  the  Indian. 


39 


„„,  ,,„,  .licr  nuU,,,     .        «.     nor  .UU.K.v  lose  «'-^   y^,__^,^, 


jf  course  tiloy  »"'-*•  "•■        I     5  1,,  0.10 
i„>vo  (».<(  Il'tir  ""'"f'"X'",'.    norvvill  lliov  lose  ".  "  "jf,^    ,oria 

state  of  New  York.     ^  ;\"7^„,,aition  of  the  remnant    o    t 

state  .w-;"i;^^^-^,^;i:^:  Certain  a  sin^  ^J  ^^^ •  y«^  '^ 

mainuig  there.      |  ^'""';^     ^^  ^,^,y  able  and  a  very  up    „  decision, 

Justice,  and  ^ons  <  e.  lum  a       y  ^^^  .^^^^^  ^^ ''  '     tr  bani^l ;  viz.  the 

is  due  to  truth,  and    o  the  V  ^^  ^^  j,    i.^^  tn^^n;  '        ^^^^_ 

isfiiisiigil 

Does  he  ^^'^''^Tltl^r    c.n^e  to  t\>e    condu^m  ^  ^^^    ^^.„,,  ,„,„. 

docWou  of  tl,e  oour     ^'j  °\J,  „„„  Jissenuns  vole  1     D^^^^^^^       ,„  ,„ 
ClMncollorsUBt»,uc<l,».U,«"        |_.  It  would  not  an-^  ^_^ 

announce  .hese  racts^,___Nos^^^^.^^^^  ^_^„  ,h,„.     What.      P 

':;;r,fnr^,  lelli-S  0- -"ll  ,  ^,*le.  tltat  »ch  Wefaced  decep^ 

2rL-«Sy.act^l-l^'j£5^^^^^ 

TcVrltoty,  and  S"---;"'*"      offlrc  the   continuance  of   v-h^u^_^ 

,,i,-,cade,»  tlie        »  J^"  deeb.ou,  on  wlneh  lie  l-aJ  W  '       ^„,,„^„,i„„ 
,e„  h« J-f  ■^,    ■'  .'dlte  not  gi.e  at  1«-    ^  „  ;  fVouUI  Ko  worth 

as  well  as  an  honest  one, 


40 


Exuniinatton  of  Gov.   Cuss 


as  to  tell  a  dotimright  lie.  The  lawyer,  who  sho.iM  perform  a  trick  of 
this  kind,  by  quoting  as  law  a  decision,  which  he  knew  to  have  been 
set  aside  by  a  higher  ci.urt,  would  deserve  to  be  thrown  over  the  bar. 
VVe  have  charged  the  Reviewer  witii  dishonesty  as  a  disputant. 
VVe  should  not  have  done  this,  if  it  had  been  a  cpiestion  of  politics 
merely,  or  of  science,  or  of  Indian  philology ;  on  which  latter  subject 
the  Reviewer  his  acquired  some  little  fame,  solely  because  his  read- 
ers were  totally  ignorant  of  the  subject,  and  were  therefore  unable  to 
detect  his  ignorance.*  But  the  discussion  of  flic  ri'rhts  of  the  In- 
dians  IS  a  graver  subject.  No  course  car.  po-.ibly  ho° '.n  ;.,jurious  to 
thein  as  that  ol  concealing  the  truth,   ove  v  "  , t   their  character 

with  oblociuy    and  disguising   the  real  stait  case   by  sophistry, 

while  pretending  withal  to  a  large  share  of  ,,!  .nthropy  u  ul  a  great 
dca  ol  wisdom  1  here  are  few  moral  olFcnces  so  atrocious,  as  first 
to  deprive  a  weak  and  defenceless  people  of  their  public  and  private 
character,  and  then  assign  their  destitution  of  character  as  a  reason 
why  they  should  be  deprived  of  their  country,  their  freedom,  and,  (as 
the  event  will  prove  to  many  of  them,)  of  their  lives. 

Pages  80— 10:{  of  Gov.  Cass's  article  contain  on  the  whole  the  most 
remarkable  exhibition  of  immoral  reasoning,  false  assertion  and  garb- 
led quotation,  which  has  ever  fallen  under  our  notice  ;  and  it  is  put 
together  with  a  coifusion  and  perplexity,  which  must  have  resulted 
Irom  a  very  perverse  ingenuity,  or  a  very  blind  entanglement  in  the 
author  s  mind.  We  shall  fullow  his  windings  as  particularly  as  cir- 
cumstances will  permit. 

He  sets  out  with  a  certain  lawyer's  description  of  the  Indian  title  in 
an  argument  in  the  case  of  Fletcher  and  Feck,  as  "  mere  occupancy 
iiH  the  purpose  of  hunting."  It  happens  that  the  Supreme  Court  in 
this  case  referred  to  this  title  of  "  mere  occupancy"  thus  •  "  the  Indi 
an  title  IS  certainly  to  be  respected  by  all  courts,  until  it  bJ  le<ritimatclv 
extinguished,'' that  is,  until  the  Indians,  shall  have  freely  "ceded  or 
sold  It  to  the  Lnited  States. 

This  case  was  decided  in  1810.  Again,  in  the  case  of  Johnson  and 
Mcintosh,  decided  in  18-j;j,  the  Supremo  Court  declared  of  the  "or- 
iginal inhabitants,"  without  restriction,  of  tliis  continent,  that  "  they 
were  admitted  to  be  the  rightful  occupants  of  the  soil,  with  a  lc<ral  as 
well  a^jii.telaunto  retain  possession  of  it,  and  to  use  it  accordin<T  to 
their  own  discretion."  ° 

"This  is  sai,l,  be  it  remembered,  (we  quote  the  remarks  of  AVilliam  Penn) 
respectinsj  Indians  generally,  found  in  their  native  coiulition,  and  undefended 

ffu."r  Itinsh     r  Vm     '?   """'"    ■""'    "  R'-'-'"""^"-  ■'■"!    ■•'   'linlonarv  of  an  India,,  lan- 
p.iSe.     it  lias  l,eon  slalol   ,y  more  Ihan  one  person,  who  has  lived   near  Gov  Cass   and  is 

Who  translated  the  15,1  le  inio  li,d,an.  and  of  iho  second  Pres,denl  E.lwards    who  snoke  ai 
,.<l,a„  language  from  Ins  early  ehildhood.     The  invesligations  of  M     P  SeVinffand  of  ft?" 
Duponceau  have  sufficiently  exposed  the  presumpiion  of  thU  advet'turous  writer. 


on  the  Removal  of  the  Indians. 


41 


,,  „.  .,a,,..^  or.™.^  s:"^;^^« -st2§:,  j;i^H5^i^ 

always  deci.led  by  ^l^em.  1  es     ^    ^^^,j   ,,„  varums  si.  n.Ut.o...  1 

mane  than  uit-  (na  -.-.^la  u   iiilieraum.c,  «/  ;  "•  •    t,,„;sU\turo 

to  drive  the.n  frotn  ^^^^^  ,,vactmcnts  oi  the  ^f-^^^'    ,,u\ 
own  -i».  «-X   ,^   er'soun  "consideration,  of   cxpcdan  y 
answer.     Let  t"'^  in.pU-  fnl«e  on 

necessity,"  ^^^^^';''    ,.^,  ^^,  readers  uili  find  to  be  ^  1^  1^  ^  ^/i^ln^ns 
lie  then  asserts,  vli.u  0"^         «fileofGeoriHa  itsell.t  uit  iul  i>         „ 

turnincr  to  the  early  history  ^^f^^^^^  <^  the  colonial  ^""^l'^'^  •^' 

!. h  c  ^vo  witl.lK.ld  Iron.  them.    (b'H;'     ;"' ^„,,,,  f,,  ^ A.  a„U,nu<'l  po. 
nevernosscssed.norcoulltucj  r  -.u^.w 

benefit,  a  certain  portion  olUio.e     ^ 


42 


Examination  of  Gov.  Cass 


I 


and  that  it  cannot  be  found  in  any  "assumed  right  to  restrain  the 
Indians,"  however  often  this  writer  may  assert  tlie  existence  of  such 
a  right.  We  have  no  power  whatever  over  them,  but  that  which  they 
have  voluntarily  given  to  us  by  express  stipuhitions,  and  for  their  owii 
protection  and  defence. 

After  tiiis  lie  goes  on,  from  page  83,  tlirough  two  pages  more  of 
false  assumptions,  which  we  proceed  to  lay  before  our  readers.    1st,  he 
declares,  that  in  the  various  treaties  negotiated  with  the  Indians,  such 
terms  as  'lands,'  territory,'  'hunting  grounds,'  &c.  could  not  have 
been  intended  ;  indeed,  "  no  teruis  in  these  compacts  could  have  been 
intended  to  convey  the  sovereignty  of  the  territory,  or  tlic  absolute 
dominion  of  the  soil  :    for  such  improvident  concessions  would   be 
equally  inconsistent  with  all  the  legislation  over  them,  recorded  in  our 
statute-books,"   (our   readers  will  remember,  that  the  only  power  of 
legislation  possessed  by  the  United  States  was  granted  froui  the  In- 
dians by  treaty)  "  and  all  the  transactions  with  them  recorded  in  our 
history,"  6lc.     Wc  fully  agree  with  Gov.  Cass,  that  no  terms  in  those 
compacts  could  have  been  intended  to  conrri/  such  sovereignty  ;   for 
It  would   be  manifestly  impossible  for  our  government  or  any  govern- 
ment to  'convey'  by  any  language  or  ceremonies,  a  power  which  it 
does  not  and  cannot  itself  possess.     We  however  assert  that  they  were 
intended  lo  acknowledge  that  sovereignty  as  a  condition  which  already 
existed,  which  could  not  be  disputed,  and  which  the  treaties  themselves, 
in  their  very  nature,  and  apart  from  all  mention  of  it,  irresistibly  fm- 
plied.     We  moreover  assert  on   the  strength  of  those   treaties,  and  of 
opinions  expressed  in  regard  to  them   (which  we  shall  presently  ex- 
hibit) by  the  highest  court  of  New  York,   by  Chancellor  Kent,  and 
by  other  eminent  civilians,  that  the  sovereignty  and  dominion  of  the 
Indians  over  their  country  was  considered  in  such  compacts  as  "  abso- 
lute ;"   and  that  the  only  and   "  ultimate  title"  of  the  United  States  is 
the  acknowledged  power  of  being,  to  the  exclusion  of  all  other  nations 
or  individuals,  the  sole  purchasers  or  receivers  of  the  soil   of  the  In- 
dians, whenever  they   may  be  disposed  to  sell   or   cede  it.     This  we 
never  can  legally  com/jcl  them  to  do,  and  in  no  other  way,  unless  they 
make  war  upon  us  or  become  extinct,  can  we  ever  come  into  pos- 
session. 

2nd.  Reasserts  that  "because  we  have  resorted  to  this  method, 
(the  method  by  treaties)  of  adjusting  some  of  the  questions  arising  out 
of  our  intercourse  with  them,  a  speculative  politician  has  no  riglit  to 
deduce  from  thence  their  claim  to  the  attributes  of  sovereignty,  with 
all  Its  powers  and  duties;"  &,c.  We  declare  again  that  they  possess  all 
the  attributes  of  sovereignty  which  they  have  not  yielded  up,  by  posi- 
tive treaty,  to  the  United  States.  We  shall  confirm  this  truth  also, 
by  extracts  from  the  opinions  of  Chancellor  Kent,  whom  we  suppose 
Gov.  Cass  will  hardly  denominate  a  "  speculative  politician." 

3d.  He  asserts  that  it  is  only  out  of  humanity,  and  commiseration 
for ''their  inferiority  in  knowledge  and  in  all  the  elements  of  prosper- 
ity," and  not  because  they  are  independent  nations,  that  we  recognize 


I 


"T»-iiri-iifi;r( .!»!« 


on  the  Removal  oj  the  Ind.'tns. 


43 


mont  This  aaser- 
.  ,,M  in  then  .0  .*  Mp  »™,  *;-.  J.ffrovcrei.n.y  U  . - 
lion  r..ll.)WS  of  course  .mm    no  ^_^,^^^.       „f  nnilui.  lul  " 

pUinl,  co,u.»Jic.o.y  ;; 'l;i»  J,,,,,,,  being  .r-^^^^^^^^^ 

°L"^r  J'"o'Uf  ;  .;  -;-;r  r  :oi'S  in  »nc„  «  o.e 
grunt  savofrc,  a  ngh   <»  "'^  ^^,,t  ^f  restraint.  ^, 

?hc  part  of  be»7»'P  r^^^  .^"e  tion  will  I'l^ewiso  app-.^   <^^^^  ^  evi'l^"'^^ 

Gov.  Cass  IS  so  incorrectness.     ^"<'^.';,  .^  „f  ^^c  Indian  tribes 

seen,  wUH  «»^^.'\  ,,  :„  w.-rard  to  the  sovereignty  ot  ^^^        ^  j     the 
cellor  Kent's  opinion  "^     -^^^^      ,„ion  which  was  ^^^^^^.^J  that 

SeTrrSn,iS.i':,ora,.„..ercon«. 

„,        j;„.KrNT  m  Urease  of  acoddl 

^brt,:;^sir  ;>£-\,:;^st  &..e.  or  »=.  - »."' »- 

des>gnivte  the  per.od,  ^  »  .,       , 

total  revolution.        #  *  *  .,  „,„  TncVians  were  considered 

*  •       rnnr  colonial  hlstovv,  these  in    nr^^^i„„,, 

..  TlMOUsh  the  whole  ---  °  V"  H.e-.elve.  the  P;-,"  'i^lves  and  their 
a.  depen.h-ut  •..'.lins,  who  .id  -^  ^^^^_^^,,  ,j,„  term.,  -lac;  1  ^^^^_^,.^,,  ..^i.^nties 
t  ,   who  h.ul  voluntarily,  anil  "  „ovemnifnt.       "  ^i,),  thein,  as 


liviou"' "''■i' jrMvvn  aa^ii"*'-  >■"■'"",    ,    •„  iiniU  under  friiio"  , 

tion.     Such  a   ac  ^  »  *  .„„r   :„ 


fro  11 


tbe  nui.io,  and  on  hehal    o  ^._^^^.,^,  ^^      el  heUvce'i  ^^^   eoncerned   u  J. 

Congress  tendered  protection 


•1  .',■ 


l»''! 


44 


Examination  of  Gov.  Cass 


Tiuliiin  should  bo  employed  iih  soldi.jrs  in  il 


rilio,  to  wliicli  tluiy'liinoiificil,  sliould,  in  ii  nut 


tht!  I 

tlicrciiiito,  1101-  then,  without  thu 

fjiivornininit   could   nioro  cloiirlv 


10  amiifiw  of  thu  United  Stutes,  hffo 


ioiiiil  ronncil,  Imvo  (umsnnlud 
••.vpnss  iipprohiitiou  (if  Coiijriiws.     Wlmt  act:!  of 


detuclied  fioin  our  hod 


loi  politic,  iind  as 


nnd  stronj^ly   dij^iigniito  tlioso   liid 


an-t  iH  totally 


'/inrutc  anil  iiult /niiili  iil  to  mm  null 


There 


was  nothinfr,  then,  in  any  art  or  proceed 


ins,  on  the  part  of  the  L'nited 


State,  dunn-  the  r('^olutioMary  war,  which  went  to  i.i.pair,  and  ii.Mch  Iosh  to  cx- 
lingu>sli  the  national  chara.'ter  of  the  six  nations,  and  <:onsolidate  then,  with  our 
own  people.  J.very  puh he,  docu-nrnt  speak,  a  d.llerent  language,  nnd  admits 
their  d.snnct  existence  and  competence  as  nations,  hut  placed  h,  the  same  slate  of 
depcndeneo,  and  calling  tor  the  same  protection  which  Existed  hefoie  the  war 
*  ^'  *  *  *  *  #        ' 

"111  1791.  there  was  another  treaty  mnde  between  tho  United  Stales  and  the 
Bix  nations,  in  which  perpetual  peace  and  iVieiuiship  were  declared  between  ho 
con.racin.  par  les,  and  the  (  ni.ed  States  acknowledged  the  lands  reserved  to  o 
Oneida,  Onondaga,  and  (ayuga  nations,  in  and  hy  (heir  treaties  with  this  State,  to 
he  heir  pmpeity  ;  ami  the  treaty  contains  this  provision,  which  has  a  very  im- 
portant and  very  decisive  hearin-  up,.,,  the  point  under  discussion  :  The  lf,,ited 
States  and  the  SIX  nations  a.;ree,  that  for  injuries  done  by  individuals,  on  either 
Side,  no  private  retaliation  shall  take  place,  but  complaint  shall  he  m  ide  by  the 
injured  prtv  to  tlie  other  ;  that  is,  by  the  six  nations,  or  any  of  them,  t,  the 
lie.,,!..,,  toi  the  I  nited  Slates,  and  hy  or  on  behalf  of  the  I'resi.lent.  to  thji.rincl- 
p.l  Cl.iels  ol  the  SIX  nations,  or  oClhe  ni.-ion  to  which  the  oiren.kr  be  „n-r.     Ulr.t 

more  denion-t.ai.e  proof  can  w,Me.p,ire,  ofex^stiMK  and  acknowl..,lyed,-overei.mlv 
residm.^  in  those  Indians.  We  have  hero  .1,,.  forms  and  r,-,piisi.ions%,eculiar  o"  he 
mlercoursel,e.u,.enfrie,ully  and  independent  Stale.,  and  they  are  coin  .rinlo 
to  the  r.ce.ved  instilntcs  of  the  law  of  nalions.  The  I'niled  Stales  baveieler 
dealt  with  those  people,  within  our  national  limits,  as  if  they  were  cKlin-uished 
soverei^nnes.  J  hey  have  constantly  treated  with  them  as\lependent  irations 
governed  by  their  own  usages,  and  possessing  governments  competent  to  mako 
and  to  maintain  -reaties.  hey  have  considered  then,  as  public  enemies  in  war! 
and  allied  Ineiids  in  peace.  "  • 

After  mentioning  certain  provisions  niaclo  in  treaties  with  =cveral 
Indians  tribes,  among  uliom  were  flic  Clicrokccs,  the  Chdnceilor  r.- 
rnarks, 

_  ^'It  vyould  seem  to  me  (o  be  almost  idle  fo  contend,  in  the  face  of  stich  nt-a- 

:;r::;.i'r;:5,:sr"-'^ ''''"''  -■■  ^"^^^^^  '"''"^  ^-'^^^^^  «'^^-.  -<'^-t 

"In  the  ordinance  of  Congress,  in  I'Sr,  passed  for  the  trnvernment  of  the 
tevntory  o  be  Lmled  States  noHbwest  of  the  Ohio,  it  was'  leclaied,  bu  e 
I  dians  wilhin  bat  terntory  should  never  be  invaded  ov  <lislu,bc<l  in  tl  e  pr  ,! 
cvty,  ngbls,  orbberties.  unless  in, just  and  lawful  war.  Hy  a  i„st  ami  Iv  ifZ 
IS  here  nKai.t,  a  controversy  according  to  the  public  law  of  i  ations,  //./,'  ,-,: 
depauhn,. stairs,  and  not  an  insurreclion  and  rebellion.    The  United  Sta  e      ,  e 

^'■vtknL,   uP  always  asserted  their  claims  asaiust  them  in  the  onlv  two 

xvajs  ki  o«n  to  nations,  upon  the  .^^,■„u.ul  of  stipulation  by  treaty,  or  by  force  of 
arms.         he  ordinance  further  provided,   that   laws  should  be  n  ade         n levc" 

ity  oi.iiit  pait  ot  the  Indians,  and  that  correspondent  claim  upon  us  fornro- 
tection,  arising  o,,t  of  the  superlorily  of  our  Condition,  which  ufib  1  e  rt^c 
solution  to  most  ot  our  regulations  concerning  them." 

u,;i"i^"' '^i"'*'''^  •^1°''"?"  observed,  "innumerable  treaties  formed 
with  them  acknowledge  them  to  be  an  independent  people  ;  and  the 


iW 


^-■"*^- 


on  the  Removal  of  the  Indhvis. 


45 


.    •      •  I .  r.f  noil   ami  rcstrsiiiiini? 


0„  m-o  87  Gov.  Ca..  W»"^». 

forwrnd  and  take  ^^.^^^^^^  .^  .^  ^^ 

He  Utters  this  last  ^ontonco  j)  ,°  /  ,  SVporlecl  absurdity,*  n.m 
Jk  .nw  tlun-i  ;  just  as  ,t,  n.<^o  -  '  \-  ._^^  ,,„,  ,,,,  ,,re  perns.l  o 
Z,tio  c.t  n/'"""".-;""    !;';;  f      ,  u-  7uin.l  or  ti.c  rea,l.n-.     And  yet 

thev  "'•'■  "^  indciH'"''''"    "''     f '  ,  Imo  boon  pleased  to  stipwlau-.      I  Ins 
iSUlsararnstheythomsolu^ha  cbo  .vbicl.  Gov.  Cass 

^  S^ti,e,ns.lv.-s  und.v  o-  P^;^  ^  ^i  '^tw^en  tbo  United  State. 
tained.  as  v.ell  as  i.npl.ed,  "  ;  /;-  (•^./n.onieut  of  tbe.r  .n.mial  n- 
ad  the  Indian  tribes,  ever  ^"^  '  !  ;,  ,1,,,^  Kent;  has  been  adopted 
;^^ouL;  has  been  asscrt..d  by  t     'u^    I  ,  ,,„,,iuues  the  very 

^S.  in  the  h.,hest  -;-^;;^,^  .U^end  :  .hich  we  think,  nuh^ 
noint   or  which  we  do  '.""^\'",'^  " '^nnded,  as  it  is,  on  the  inalienable 
[no  uraniCest  to  adnnt  a  '''^  >\\;  J       ^  .'.ed  possessors  of  this  whole 
rl.lus  of  those  who  were  ';>;-;        ,,i,  a  so  nu.ch  of  the.r  sovere.gn- 
contin<n.t,  and  who  have  <.nly  ^  "  ,,^^,„  ,„,aer,  the  protection  of 

?v    a    u  i<^ht  entitle  thcni  to,  a.ul  V^;^^ ^^^^  .enero.ity  they  have  con- 
a  n  ore  powerful  n.tiou,  jn  ;vl>-o   ns  k.c  a  ^^_^,,,,,^.^,^,,,,.  i,e,t,es," 

fidc-nlv   rusted  ;  and  settled,  '^^/^  ''.^I^'^-;^^^^^^  L  .n.ltiplied  le^al  author- 

t;;rS'£u»  :s,  -..»j -x;?xi,i?"^i''-  u,.«  >>* "'  = 


^l8^**«r-«"'" 


46 


Ejcamination  of  (iov.  Casn 


thny  arc  ;  supposinj/  llint  nil  our  ppciiliiir  reliitinns  with  the  F 


been 

him.     Tlio   1 11(1 


spocilicd  aiid  dispnspd  of  in  mtiltiplic'd  slipuliit 


ndinnn  hud 
ions.     We  will  tell 


ian.i  iiii!  less  civili/cd   tliiin   we.     The  State  of  ( 


gia  wants  the  Indian  T.'iritory.     Tin;   [.id 
we,  and   have  Cijnnnitted  theniselveH,  trust 


jeor- 


to  the  United  St  itos  for  protect 


the 
thei 
are  tl 


tion. 


Tl 


conHtructicn"  of  those  tn-atics  as  ti 


r  present  inlieritante,  or  under  the  laws  of  the  ( 


laii.s  -re  less  powerful  than 

inj,'  iii  the  faiih  of  treaties, 

lercforr,  we  must  so  "  regulate 

)   "coerce"   the  Indians  out  of 


le  peculiar  relations  which,  according  to  tl 


leorjrjans.      Such 
lis  unprincipled  p(»liti 


Cian,  are  to     reifulate  the  construction"  of  our  con.p'.cts  with  the  fn- 
dian  tril.es.      I  hese   are   peculiar   relations  indcc.l  ,   the   relations  of 
^venkncss  on  one  si.  e,  and  streuirth  on  the  other;  the  relations  of  an 
Hifonor  an,l  peaceful  trihe,  lookin.  to  us  (or  protection   from  the  o^ 
p  f-sMve  nvance  o    a  more   powerful    nei.,M,l,oriu;r  state  ;  appealing    o 
the  very  treaties,  hy  which,  for  the  sake  and  with  the  promise  of  U.at 
protection    they  have  placed  themsehx-s  in  the  attitude  of  a  .leorMident 
nation.      I  hey  are  r..|ations  which  should  make  us  peculiarly  disinter- 
ested  and  l.eneyolenf  in  our  conduct,  jealous  of  all  usurped  and  inter- 
nieddlmrr  ,urisdiction,  and  scrupuh.nsly  careful  to  preserve,  unimoair- 
eU  tn  the  slijrhtest  de.,rree,  every  jot  of  those  rights,  which  the  Indians 
have,  as  it  were,  committ.nl  to  us  for  safekeeping.     It  is  not  onlv  on- 
pression,  but  inexpressil.le  meanness,  and  shows  in  Gov.  Cass  a  selfish 
and  degraded  mind,  when  he  can  allege  such  relations— the  very  ones 
which  call  lor  generosity  an-l    kindness,— as  adbrding  his  countrv  an 
opportunity  lur  successful  Iraud.  ^ 

On  page  88  he  asserts,  that  "Our  right  of  jurisdiction  over  them 
lounded  upon  the  principles  we  have  already  discussed,  and  siionorted 
by  our  own  practice,  fou/  hjj  that  of  rrcn/  nation  whirl,  ha,  ,rt,„,lv<l  its 
sway  orrrthm   is  perfect.     But  in  the  exercise  of  this  iuri.sdiction   a 
just  regard  is  due  to  the  relative  situation  of  the  partio,  and  unneces- 
sary  restraints  should  not  be  imposed  upon  the  Indiins.      Of  the  ex- 
tent  anji  ncnssit;,   howviu-r,  of  these  ristrainfs,  wc.   must,   from  the  na- 
timof  thrr.ase   be  thr  juf/^rs."     Gov.  Cass  seems  determined  reso- 
uie  y  to  forget  that  all  our  power  of  restraint  over  the  Indians  is  lived 
by  the  stipu  ations  of  "  innumerable  treaties."     He  go.'s  on  I,.  Ar.hue 
that     all  other  nations  have  adopted  the  'Sic   volo'  in  their  communi- 
cations  with  the  aboriginal  tribes,"  and  so  must  wc  !     "  The  time  is 
probably  not  far  distant,  when  our  practice  must  change,  and  when 
tlie  legislatures  must  speak  to  them  as  they  speak  to  our  own  citizens 
m  terms  of  authority."  !  ' 

Our  readers  may  thus  .see  that  according  to  Gov.  Cass'  theory  the 
exampeof  other  nations  may  justify  us  in  acts  of  usurpation  ; 'and 
tiint,  although  in  times  past  the  United  Slates  have  been  obli^rcd  to  re- 
sort to  treaties  for  any  new  arrangements  with  the  Indians,  oranv  new 
reguliitions  aftecting  tiieir  property  or  territory,  vet  now  a  new  era  has 
commenced;  there  is  no  longer  any  such  unhappy  necessity;  those 
treaties  having  been  founded  on  the  mistaken  conceptions  of  benevo- 
lence  ;  it  liaving  now  become  necessary  to  speak  to  them  in  the  Ian- 


on  the  licnioval  oj  the.  TnJian^. 


47 


.i...m  nl'  pverv  shadow  of  na- 
.ago  of  authority  ;  and  in  ''■"' .^"  «  J, ""  fC^M  think.from 


tioiiiil  niid  iH-rhiips  iii< 
his  miuiiirr  ot  s| 


ilividiiiil  indf|" 


j.liuation  of  tr.!iiti(«s  is  an 


VXvu;n,.that.i....i.;n.._^  .«-;;;;;;:- 


idci  which  has  never  c 


rossod  Ids  miiu 


il  ;  hut  how,  m 


nutioiial  honor,  («"«'* 


k   it  in  nstonishuwut  ut  «m 


I'lH-r  liis  u><»ral  or  his 


th,!  MXlc;fU  tr<'alics  w 


ith 


'•^S;-^;;:^.aro.nor.dyan«^^^^^ 

the  fc^crotary's  k.tt.r,  w..    |;  <'-  ,^  ^     '^,:.,,,  i„.,.uious  couM-hmn.^ 

ehan.;t..;.  ,md  ar«uc.  t>.>^t   -h>uo,.       -,  tull  ^^^^^  ^^^ .  __^^^_^.  ^ 
acr,  an.l  .lovastal.on.  can         ^  >^  »  ^„^  without  oxcopt.o 

ti,.i  s,  inlbrrinjr  of  courso  that  ^^    '^  T^  ,.,i|acy  as  torn.orly,  ot 

„  ih  s  prodicauumt.  H«;  uses  "*-'•'''  //J^'^'^.^.y  ajjo,  and  considcra- 
anr  in'r  a  p.cture  of  harhanans  'f'  y  J  ^  ,  "  J,  ^1^:  stale  of  thmi;s 
;!:^;Jdnuv.llVon.  circuu.sunces^t^  ;     -.t^u.^^  ^^^  , 

•It  til."  nri'scut  moment.  1"  ,^'"* /"  „„  .,  ...cos  (as  the  Induius  aud 
rk.  "  tha.  it  is  evident  ^  -  ^^^.^^^.^j^  t  of  each  othc..  The,r 
the  whites)  caimot  exist  m  contact,  '^^"^  ■^^^^,,,,;'  &,c.  &lc.  Is  .t 
^arrlonld  soon  come  to  he  ^-^  ^^^^^^^^  ,  „.y  Inan  in  his  sense, 
;ossihh.  that  (iov.  Cass  -IM;*-  j^,  '^  J  ,  „re  at  this  day  m  dai.ger 
believe  tliat  the  people  ol  the  l_      «^<  ;^,  •„,  ^^e  limits  ot  our  ter- 

from  the  auuressions  of  any  1   d.an  tr    c  ^^^^^^^  ^^.^^^ 

rZy  Th^t  the  Cherokees.  lor  ■'-  f^  ;;;,':  ;  ,;,ny  years,  have  now 
;;rv?livc.d  in  mutual  !>-- ,-  :;?'K ^rou  one  sJle.  that  tlu^  can 
at  last  arrived  to  sucli  a  p.  oh  o    lur         )     ^  ^.^^^^^^  ^^,.^^,  „    ex- 

no  lou-  r  remain  in  cm.tact  with  ^=^,^.  V, '  ^  ,,i,,,i.aved  the  terrors  of  the 

llr  -.Lrain   (»«  »'  J'^lo'""""'  '"  ''"'"    "(vLovrm  powers,  our  own 
or  ,  iuc  >l"     .rsu,.s,  from  .l,c  P'^  l^^,"!,';  'T  l.la.-.«,  "ol  on  y 


48 


Exammaiion  of  Gov.  Cus.h 


I 

I 


tion  to  injure  him."  ITe  ihoti  makes  tlie  follo\vin<T  remarknhly  unprin- 
cipled .Icclaration.  "No  candid  man  can  look  back  upon  tlie  history 
of  the  Indians,  or  survey  their  habits,  character,  and  institutions  witli- 
out  heuiir  sensible  that  they  are  'a  nation  of  a  restless  and  mischiev- 
ous disposition,'  and  tiiat  '  all  have  n  rif^lU  to  join,  in  urrlrr  to  repress 
chastise,  and  pot  it  ever  after  out  of  its  power  to  injure  them  '  "  When 
we  remember  that  such  langua-o  as  this  is  intended  to  refer  to  tribes 
so  peaceable  in  tiieii  character,  and  so  indisputably  advanced  in  civili- 
zation and  Christianity  as  the  Cherokees,  we  think  our  readers  will  be- 
gin to  suspect  us  of  insensibility  fbr  the  coolness  we  have  exhibited 
Let  no  one  henceforward  speak  to  us  of  Gov.  Cass'  humanity 

Now  let  our  readers  turn  to  the  remarks  we  have  rpioted  from  Gov. 
Cass  in  lfr-2(),  on  the  fidelity  and  friendship  of  the  Indians  towards  our 
government,  and  on  the  readiness  with  which  they  yield  themselves  up 
tor  punishment  whenever  tiiey  have  committed  a  crime;  let  them  re^ 
member  our  extract  from  his  late  article,  in  which  he  accuses  them  of 
being  regardless  of  their  promises  and  faitiiless  to  all  ohli.rations  •  let 
them  rellect  upon  hisov.n  inconsistency  with  himself,  and  tlieii  witiie«s 
his  violation  ot  the  truth;  made  strikinulv  evident  by  ihe  f)llowintr 
testimonial  of  Chancellor  Kent,  to  the  kindness  and  unshaken  fidelitv 
of  the  Indians.  ^ 

"The  friendship  of  the  six  nations  towards  the  colonv  a-nvcnimenl,  and  the 
pro  ecfon  o  the  },n,vcrnn>ent  to  then,,  c.r.tinued  nnsiiuken  for  .mu'.rds  of  a 
century,  ami  this  niulM.l  jrood  f.ith  has  received  the  n>ost  honorable,  and  the 
most  tn.doubled  attestations.  (;ov.  Colden,  in  his  historv  of  the  six  nation, 
states,  tliat  tile  Duich  entered  into  an  alliance  with  them,  which  continued  with- 
out any  breach  on  e.ther  side,  until  the  Kn-hsh  conqneied  the  coionv  in  1664. 
Fnendshif)  and  protect.on  were  then  reneued,  and  the  hulians,  he  says,  observ- 
ed the  alhancc  on  their  part  striclly  to  his  .lay  ;  and  v,  e  know  that  their  fidelKv 
cont.nue.l  unshaken  down  to  the  period  of  our  revolution.  On  one  occasion 
the  colonial  assembly,  ni  their  address  to  the  ,,^overno,,  expressed  their  abho  : 
rence  of  tlie  project  of  reducnj^  the  Indians  by  force,  and  possessing thenisehe., 
of  hen-  lands  ;  tor,  to  the  steadiness  of  these  Indians  to  the  inteix^st  of  (ireat 
Hntain,  they  said,  tlicy  owed,  in  a  >v,.eat  measure,  their  internal  secnritv.  The 
colony  governors  constantly  acknowled.i^ed  their  friendship  and  services. 

"  The  six  nations  were  a  t^nrat  and  powerful  cor.fcderacv,  .-uul  onr  ancestor., 
a  feeble  colony,  settled  near  ihe  casts  of  the  ocean,  atul  alon^•  the  shores  of  the 
Hudson  and  the  Mohawk,  when  these  Indians  first  placed  tlu^nselves,  and  their 
amis,  under  onr  protection,  and  formed  a  covenant  chain  of  frieiulshin  that  was 
to  endure  for  ag-es.  And  when  we  consider  the  long-  and  di.tressinff  «  ars  in 
Mnch  he  Indians  were  mvolve<l  (m  our  account  with  the  Canadian  French,  a.ul 
the  ..ilful  means  which  were  use.l,  from  time  to  lime,  to  detach  them  from  our 
alliance,  ,  must  be  ijranted  that  fidelity  has  been  no  where  better  observed,  or 
maintained  with  a  more  intrepid  spirit,  than  by  these  generous  barbarians." 

Yet  Gov.  Cass,  not  satisfied  with  the  unprincipled  misrepresentations 
which  he  has  already  exhibited  of  the  Indian  character,  Irom  which, 
as  we  have  seen,  he  mft^rs  ihe  right  to  "repress,  ehastise  and  disable 
thetn,  again  repeats  his  worn  out  and  reiterated  assertion,  in  direct 
contrariety  to  truth,-"  Nor  can  it  be  objected  to  the  practical  applica- 


.i^isS.. 


on  the  Removal  of  the  Indians. 


49 


,on  of  thl.  doctrine,  that  ^^J^^T^Z'^:::^^  "^l^^^ 
and  morals,  and  are  nosv  les    ^'^  "^^^^^'^  and  atrocious 

frontier..     Some  of  ti.e  '"^.f,;/'^    ,■„  ,  f '.ryears ;  and  nothing  hut 
barbarities  have  heen  -^"^^''^^  ^^^^^^d  of  our  strength,  pre- 

"  71^.  Cass  fcels  no  shame  at  this  exhibition  oH.i-- '-^^ 
ency.  let  Inm  l^'-^^'-"  'i;;, '^^^r:"       h' -^^^y,  and  Ujat  they 
been  forty  years  m  '--f' ^»'3.      ^'^'^'^J  «    a' -session  ;  that  the  Choctaws 
never  have  conimUu  I  a  -'"^1^  'Ji^^J;  ^^^  a  never  iravc  committed  a 
have  been  still  lot.ger  m    "  f.,'^'^  '^J^.^'choctaws  make  it  the.r  boas 
sincrle  act  of  aggression  ;  and  that  ^be  v^'     ^        ^j-  ^,,e  United  States  I 
thai  they  never  ^l-d  the  Wood  o    -;-g^-^',,,,,„  ,„„„  and  famd.ar- 
But  these  are  truths,  ^^I'f !  ^^  !"^^  ^^^.^^  „„  remorse  in  h.s  bosom  ; 
ly  ;  and  their  repetition  mil  ^^J  J^^^^.^^^^^      ^    man's  conscience    we 
h^e  is  proof  against  such  ^-;f'J^2Tln\l,  before  he  could  bnng 
should\bink,  would  ask   for  ^  ;7^,^^°P,„j;,voked  and   deliberate 
himself,  like  Gov.    Cass,  to    utter   . u .  l  .^^    character, 

J;:;;der\gainst  a  whole   i^ople      -       I  -  ^^       to  justify   Uie 
caricatured    and  Slackened   Nvtlim  ^^^^^^  privileges    This 

„,ost  wanton  ^^-^V-^''lf^^^;Z^\.e  to%iew  his  conduct?  How 
he  has  done  ;-and  in  ^^»^^*  f'^;;'"^',,^^,,  he  would  insinuate  the  al- 
„.ust  we  regard  the  ^^S^-^  \',  L  ^-rv  f'ct  which  would  call  the 
leged  degradation  of  tl'«  I"'!'^';  /^^y  we  should  cast  them  out,  like 
loudest  for  our  mercy-as  a  '■e-^''"" '^"^  -.j.^ ,     'phc  idea— so  nat- 

a  pSential  mass  of  ^""[M^'on,  Hom  our  m  U  ^^^^^^^^  ^^^^^^^  ^^^^^ 

urdto  a  -an  of  any    eelug-h  .^^  demand  our  ten- 

ferocity  of  their  character,  did   t  le     y  ._^^^^  ^^.^  imagination  , 

derest  treatment,  f^/Xon  us  to   -ish  them,  like  the  excrescences 
and  he  argues  that  it  caUs  o^^^  y^^^-^,,  ,,•  civilized  society  o 

^Ihr^v: Xr  theXna^on  of  savage  inhu,nan.ty  belong-to  the 

^'l:g;;uto^r|vL^ 

elementary  writers  of  Lurope  ;^-^^f  ^^  ^,,,  ,o„ntries  of  Europe 
ties  of  civ.li/ed  and  «=^;"g« .  ""^  .;'^4'  ^  d  what  course  the  United 
have  practised  in   regard  to   1  c     a    e,  an  ^^^^^^  ^^^  ^^^^   ^^^ 

SateJ  have  pursued  in  -S-    ^;'^1,:I -.es  in  past  ages  have  a  opt- 

that  the  course  ^v»'"^»^^';'';  J^vili/ed  ones  ,»»s/  be  n^h   ;  ^"-^'"^  /' f. 
cd  in  their  intercourse  vith  '^r^'^"  ,-  ..^^..^al  expediency  and  a  i- 

'vas  not  right  at  first,     --'    ^j*^';  .^^.d^its  cliaracter.     I  oruinately 


50 


Examinution  of  Gov.  Cass 


!) 


}■'        I 


I 


it  sliould  point  back  to  a  prescription  of  ages.  It  is  curious  to  observP 
J"m  on  p:.<..  m  and  OT  .Icclarin,  ti.e  folly  of  douhts  i.  r o  nud  to  [)  e 
u. lmMU.d  .x,n.t  „    o„r  jurisdiction  over  fl.e   Indians.     Fr^  nee  never 

brcat   Britan.  had  very  few,  and  what  she  had  were  a  trouble  to   her 
,„f  ,7'"  '"'ff  "■' '". '"'  ','«  '■''><""  to  provo  ,hat  ead,  i„divi,lu„l  Slate 

have  a  HO  seen  that  ho  has  all  alon,.  deduced  the  ri.rht  of     at  mr  sdiction 

■UN  .s  the  third  clause  ot  the  eighth  section,  which  grants  To  CWress 
he  ponx.r  to  regu  ate  couunerce  with  fore..,,  nntionl.  and  a.no,."  t'fe 
everal  States,  and  w.th  the  Fn.liau  tribes.  Certainly  t'l  s  to  "  aVow 
a  .;>u,.d,„„,,.  ,.,.ou  wh.ch  to  erect  so  broad  a  supcU  .cturo  "«  tZ 
which  would  ...elude  w.thiu  it  the  ^rhnfr  ronnrns  if  the  I,  hns  T h^ 
reg„|at.onot  couunercecan  by  no  f.ir  interpretation  .cl.  e  th-nthe 
sphere  oj  its  operat.ou  all  the  acts  and   du  ies  of  /;f.   .n    V  r 

::;l,i';;;'„ii;r'"""  -""  ""•"""■i' '  i-i.ic.i  for  i.,i;y;ci:;:;;:f";: 

car.-liil  rcudor  !   M    '  ' .     i  .        ;'""  "'"  ■"'"'"I"  '"  ''"'""fralc  all ;  a 
i.ar,.l„l  reader  lull  caMl,  .loloculwii,.     <)„  !„,„„  ],«)  |,e   makes  a  la- 


k 


I 


i 


•^^^SiyiSaas- 


js  to  observe 
J^giiid  to  the 
"ranee  never 
any  doubts, 
iible  to  her. 
wliere  noth- 

vidual  State 

ts  chartered 

1  Ills  selfish 

lim  into  the 

V  he  has  all 

litod  States 

tribes.    We 

jurisdiction 

liis   favorite 

Vow  he  not 

d  degree  of 

I  degree  of 
I 

;  to  the  Tn- 

0  Congress 
among  the 
too  narrow 
re,  as  that 
ians     The 

within  the 
hus  confer 
Dii  that  we 
two  pages 
ction  over 
,  and   our 

1  precedes 

!S. 

following 
ml  cunvcr- 

ovcrlooks 
ire  found- 
:  tlioy  can 
itcd  ;  that 
d  that  the 
It  for  the 
ive  grant- 
ee, in  fbr- 

in  regard 
ite  all ;  a 
kes  a  la- 


on  the  llemovnl  of  the  Indians. 


61 


mention  that  "it  is  now  too  late  to  c-H  in  ...-ti.>n  tl.  c^^^tion^ 
treaties  witii  tlu;  IndiuMS,  or  the  pow.-r  ol  the  «»  .  .  ,  ^,„„,^;. 
them;  although  it  is  <lijlu»/f  to  l>''/ >>*''''''';' ''''Z-r''  (We  are 
tution  which  c.prrssh,  or  nacssanll/  f^rants  '/  ;  '^  ;  ^  ,„„„i,  it 
glad  the  obligation  of  treaties  has  come  to  >"  /^^  '^^^  j  dissat.slac- 
be  attended  m  his  own  bo.om  w>th  so  ^;'>".^'^,;^  fj^^  "j^r  the  source 
tion.)     We  see'hi.n  again  recurrmo-  ic,  the  Con.tiiulion,  lor      ^ _^_ 

of 

ter 

the  case.     We   ask  our  reaaers  lo  ---;j;  ;■;,;  ,,,e  101  that 

tions  contained  in  his  argument,     lie  '^^_^e  ^^  '^^   1    -  ..   ^,,e  r 


on.)     We  see'hi.n  agam  recurrmg  u.  uu.  v^-...  .  .  ^^^^  .^^_ 

f  that  power  in  the  United  States   w Inch  he     "^     ""  J  \,",eessity  of 
.mptinl  to  prove  is  supren.e,  from  j-'^V'!'?,      iu  nble  «    contradic- 
he  case!     We   ask  our  readers  to  -A-^-  ^^'^  ,/   /''^  m  that  "  the 
tions  contained  in  his  argument,     lie  asse    s        i    ^  ^^^^    ^^^,^^ 

jurisdiction  over   the   territory  may   be   in    He  Mai    _  .^f^rencc 

{o  dispose  of  it  in  the  United   States;'  ^"^  ^.^^J^^J'^',  JnU  g 
to  the  fact  that  white  citizens  ^^  ^^^^ ^'iTl   I^IQ,,,  limits  they 


i  on  tue  RTruu..>  "■.  —  "  ,      ■ 

,     1  f  .1,,.    tJiMtos  w  I  un  wliose  limils  iiiey 

ment,  are  sub  ect  to  the  laws  of  tl  e    ^  '^tcs  %    u  ,     .^.^j,,,. 

reside.     Here  he  is  guilty  ot  an  absolute  ^  ^'J,,  ,,;,  Jties,  but 

ing  that  the  Indians  have  no  existence  or  P'  'P'-'-^y  ^.     j^^  ,,ere 

arf,  in  fact,  like  all  individual  white  c.t..en.      ^^^^^^.^  j^ns- 
contradicts  the   very  doctrine  of  the  Georgians, 

diction  are  inseparable."  i.i.u   tho  United  Slates  pos- 

I,;  according  to  the   J-^^^  ^l  nl  "n  a.^"!>-  by  express 

sess  no  power  over  the  Indian    whic      '       »    -   ^  ,,,^^i   Stales   acquire 

provision  in  the  constitution,  bow  f^^^'^'^  ^^   and  which  the  Uni- 

Ihe  unlimited  jurisdiction  tor  ^^};^^^^ ^^^^^^  ,,  tboni  '! 

ted  States  cannot  give  because  >t  ''.«'^    ^    "  ^ ,    ^le    pviiiciple  that  the 

We  suppose  that  he    grounds  this  i  ght  oi     t'.      ,       J^^^^^  ^,^, 

States  received  from  great  Britain  all   her   pov\er   o  j ^^^^  ^^^  ^^^^ 

the 


States  received  iVom  great  «n  ='"  '  ^  ^  ^^:^,,a  that  power  by  the 
the  Indian  tribes;*  and  that  ^.^'''^^  '^  j  j;";'  ,Ue  proposition  of  the 
right  of  discovery.  Su.h.n  'l^/^'-^^^j^^Suly  accedes  to  all  his 
Secretary  of  War,  and  Gov.  Cas.  "»'' V;'';"^;^^^^ 
.ronositions.     Now  though  nolbnig  can  l>^  ,""  f '"'J    ,„.,.  .^.^ion   the 


propositions.     _  .  . 

that  mere  discovery  of  the  coiituio^iu 

power  to 
them  froi 


could  give    to  any  nation   the 


e  discovery  of  the  continonv  .c"  ""  -  ^   ^,  to  drive 

,eg.iate  over  the  natives,  ^^J^^  .^Zn^.u.  that  Great 
,n  their  own  torritory  :  v^t  '7  .  '  "ttor  our  independence  it 
,ossesse<l  such  a  power,  ^^ .l^]'''^'^^^  ,^,,,  (jeoioia  herself, 
,  the  indivi.lual  States  :  still  it  i^  ^''  '  ",    .  ,„,,ver  and  practi- 


i^iuWuoZ  capuciiy.  to  the  13nii.U  e.own 


52 


Examination  of  Gov.   Cass 


excused  for  advancing.  But,  if  it  were  not  so,  and  if  the  latter  State 
Had  not  relin(,uislied  tliat  ciaiin  by  fbrinal  treaties,  the  reheated  frea- 
ties  between  the  United  Slates  and  tlm  Indian  tribes  would  still  be 
binding,  and  must  exclude  Georgia  from  all  the  jurisdiction  for  which 
She  contends,  unless  our  nation  chooses  to  incur  the  guilt  of  violatinff 
Its  most  solemn  engagements. 

.  Page  101  he  says,  speaking  of  treaties  with  the  Indians  "  And  if 
in  these  compacts  any  pledge  has  been  given,  that  the  Indians  shall  be 
exempt  from  the  legislative  authority  of  the  States  within  which  they 
ive.  we  have  only  to  submit  to  an  improvident  stipulation,  and  leave 
them  free,  whatever  be  the  consequences.  But  such  an  assurance 
cannot  be  found.  We  merely  ask  our  readers  to  compare  with  this 
assertion  the  following  "  improvident  stipulation."  in  the  treaty  of 
1  olston,  together  with  a  plain  commentary  thereon,  to  be  found  in  the 
/th  number  of  tho  Essays  of  William  Penn. 

tl,r/V"";  "■,  /.^.''"y '^''i^f  n  orinl.abitantof  the  United  States,  or  of  either  of 
the  emtonul  chstncU  of  the  United  States,  shM  ffo  to  any  town,  settlement,  or 
ten  topy  belonffuig-  to  the  Chemkees,  un<l  sh.ll  there  commit  any  crime  upon 
or  I  a;.mf  ^u'-'T'  '•"  f""'""'  ;"■  PyiP^'-'y  "f  "".V  P'-'^'ceful  an.l  tHendIv  Indian 
ZrSir'  ]•'  ••  ■  '""TT^  ""■'""  </'«>'"*■'/'■'•""«  "fan,j  Stale,  or  witldn  the 
fnh  1-  ,",'i"-^  f^/Acr  .y  //a.  saal  di.trkt,,  ajyainst  a  citizen  or  any  white 
s^^chn^  '■''  '/°f'^\'  Pun..shahle  by  the  huvs  of  M.ch  state  or 'district, 
such  oHenderor  o«en,  cr.s  shall  be  subject  to  ihe  same  punishment,  and  shall  be 

M^^I'l^'^^^T'r"'^  :'''T  ">='""'■'•»«'♦  tl'e  offence  hud  been  con.mitted 
wuiuathe.junsd,€tiun  oj  the  State  or  district  to  which  he  or  they  may  belontr 
aganist  a  citizen  or  white  inhabitant  thereof"  ^     ^  ^ 


-lll^^'""'''  "  ^"^  'i^eanin,tyiii  langinifye,  it  is  here  irrcsislibly  implied,  that  the 

.he  okee  country,  or  .'  terrUory"  is  not   ■'  within  the  jurisdiction  of  any  SU  e^ 

X"»"      -,)•'■•- •='-".''.-.t'-':   of  the  territorial 'Districts   of  the  ^United 


Ch 
or 

fi!=?ll?;-"  ^V^"'";  •"''"' •^"•'^'•''=.''""  i*  ''t.  t''en '.'^  I)<n.btless  Nvithin  Cherokee  iu- 
oneo'T/'^/';"  n''"?''^'  's/lescribed  as  "  iWo„./„.  ,„  the  CherohZrl 
one  of  the  most  forcible  idiomatic  expressions  of  our  iM^nn^^  to  desiirnate  ab- 

S  ,!J"'°'^r''H';  ^?''''  '^"  '""'"^'^  "f  "'^-  •'—■"■"■'  "•■  J-'isdiccio.!';,^  tie 
Cheiokees  by  the  Slate  o    Georgia'     This  question   will   be  easily  decide.l  by 

«  ,  .^  \  ;  '"  ?'"•  f  ''''":'  '^  "'"  '^''•"".'7^-^'.  =^  treaty  of  ihe  Un.ted  States,  or 
tc^rv  !  •  !''f  ,'^.'?'^'^^"''V'*  ^  ^'"'"-  ''''"^  "•^■"•>-  ^'^>-^'  tl'^'t  the  Cherokee  terri' 
A^^iemKw  t'  I  "'"'  ""/  T"  ''V'"  --«-^''^"-«  --"•'"  he  pursued  thither, 
hi  n.  1      •         r'"'^'"  ''r  '"'"'  "'^  S:i-eater  part  of  the  Cherokee  country  to 

full  ^f^'  Jt  -"'".T  r.\'""  ';*  "'"*  •^'"''-'  '  '^'"'  "'''*  "^'^  '"^-^  "*'  t-eoiffia  shall  tike 
itcZlnT  "^*^„^  '^'"kees  vvnhin  less  than  a  year  from  the  present  time. 
The  Constitu  .on  of  the  United  States  (Art.  VI.)  has  these  words:  "All  trea- 
les  made  under  the  authority  of  the  United  States,  shall  be  the  supreme  lav,  of 
uJ  L  •''"'^.^''^  •''"'»'''=^  '"  '^'■''■y  Slate  shall  be  bound  thereby,  anythinirin  the 
uv  s  or  Constitution  of  any  State  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding."  The  ques- 
tion  of  jurisdiction  is,  therefore,  easily  settled.' 

Page  102  he  asks,  "  What  has  a  Cherokee  to  fear  from  the  opera- 
tion of  the  laws  of  Georgia  ^"  We  answer  by  simply  exhibiting  the 
following  enactments,  passed,  not  long  since,  in  the  Georgia  legisla- 
ture ;  with  another  commentary  by  William  Penn. 

"Sect.  8.     'That  all  lav.-s,  u.sage.s,   and  customs,  made,  established,  and  in 
orce,  m  the  said  territory,  by  the  said  Cherokee  Indians,   be.  and  the  same  ai-e 
hereby,  on  and  after  the  first  day  of  June,  1830,  declai'ed  null  and  void. 


r  if 


\ 


m  Ike  Rmotal  of  ihe  Indiana. 


.13 


..sec  9.    .T,,..-.,  ..■V»n  or  *-," J^J.lS'r";.,;:;^ I'JS.! « 

^:^;;:X^^:r:^  -"''"^i'"  '''""""''■''"■■  -'"•■^ "'"'  ''""• 

to  whicli  a  wliite  man  muy  be  a  parly. 
I  .  Under  the  administration  of  this  1-   a   white  -^^^^  LZ t -d 

I  Cherokee     in  the  P---  °'  n.-^  ••^--^.^^'^^ythis  malignant  character 

"  vet  the  offence  coviUl  not  be  ptovta.     *"    ...le-    but  assaults,   ubnses,    and 

ITonld  be  con.mitted  is  by  ^l^^^JZ^^^'^ ^^^^^  "''  "^  ^'-'•"^"^ 
vexations,  of  a  ar  njkr.o,-  ^  ^J  P^^  ^""^^  '^^^  'i„,a  ,,y  „er  Senate,  to  seize  five 
intolerable.     The  plan  ot  Gu   g  a  '^;  J«  f "   .^  -^  ^.^^„„j,  i,er  citizens.      If  a 

sixths  of  the  terr>tory  '"  [l''^''""-;  \ '\L'."  ,e  mav  possibly  have  his  house 
Cherokee  head  of  a  ''-l'  >- '"f  ^^  i  iX mosU'avo^rable  s'upposition.  But 
and  a  little  farm  ass,K""l  to  um.      ^  >'^  '«  "^  ^  ^,,e  ,^„d  because   .t   is 

his  rights  are  not  ^-knowledged.  ^^^^-^^^"^^  ^."^^  /i,  .ui  be  surrounde.l  by 
his  own  ;  but  receives  >t  as  a  ^^^  "'^i,';'^„t  ^,.  tv„n>  the  more  sober,  temper- 

five  white  neighbors.  These  >*f  "-'^  ^^  .'^  ^'  °,\,  .aie,  the  dissolute,  the  (luar- 
ate.  and  orderly  citizens  «t  Georgia,  t^  '  '  "'^  ;  '^./^'^  •^,,y,,  opportunity  of  iu- 
JeUome.  Many,  of  them  w.  I  -"='---{.  ;'  /e  .^kee  are'  driven  away  in  his 
suiting  and  abusing  them.  J^>^^,,^'^,'  ;^,,"*,;j  ,  •„  crops  destroyed  ,  if  h.s  chd- 
ni-psence  ,  if  h  s  fences  are  thrown  down  -^"".""^^  ,^  ,'._..,i,,,,pver  outrage  and 
5::.rbeaten.and  his  'lo^-^^l/^f  ,t;Lre  nte^  a  S  remedy".  He 
^vhatever  injury  he  may  expene  c^  l^e  cam  o   ev^  ^^^^^h^^^^  ^^  „^ 

can  neither  be  a  par  V  nor  a  w.  iks^-  "^{';^,,„  ,,^,  ^ny  interest  in  seemgjus- 
his  behalf.  Not  an  >"f '^ulua  ca  be  <^^^";\'^;"^  ^^.  I  ,,,  .^rve  him.  Kven 
tice  done  him,  and  who,  at  the  '  "l^^J'^^^i^j^*  \Z  self-interest  of  their  mas- 
,he  slaves  "Hiis  ne.v  neighbors  a  e<^e^  f>  ^^  ^„   ,,,,  p,,e,test 

ters.     But  he  has  lu.t  even  this  ^ "      '^"<         "  ^  ^..^y  is  let  loose  upon 

evils  of  slavery,  without  any  of        ^^^^'^^^^J^  „„,  (be  official  duty    of 

r ;s:!:eSe::Sde£  tr  ^  - 

saacis^:ie:r;^;;\^^^":entasthL>.. 

.n^       1  lo^  this  master  spirit  of  expediency,  necessity, 
On  pages  107  and  108,  this  master  spr  i  ^^.^^^ 

selfisli  pol-y,  --'  I'^'-^rTrbo  VrcaSng  their  territorial 
of  sending  off  the  <^>>'=:".\"^^^"'  \,S;uiIl  his  separate  share,  and 
community  to  pieces,  g'^'^S  -  <^  ^  '^  '  ^  interest  "  for  a  valuable 
then  persuading  them  separate  y  '^fll^^^  ^,^,,i  ^e  concluded,  to 
consideration."  au<l  as  soon  '^^J'^  ^j^  S^  ^,,,,  successively  yield- 
start  off  for  the  Pacific.    The  portions  ot^   and  t  ^^^  ^^^^  ^^^.^^^ 

ed  up  by  the  Indians  are  ^o  ><^;^y'^;  f ^a  onin.,  must  fall  within  the 

States,'   and  accordn.g  '^.^^.^^J"^'^^   soon  be  annihilated 

laws  of  Georgia      Thus  ^  ^e^'^^^t  ^^  „„nner,  without  any 

as  a  nation,  and  that    "  ■.\„^«7,  "l^T  .     possibility  of  which  even  this 
of  the  disturbance  and  diffictity.  of  the  po  y     ^^^  ^^  ^^^^  ^^^^^^^ 

sturdy  disciple  of  "  expediency  and  netessiiy 

indistinct  idea.  ,  i    proposition  by  the  as- 

He  thinks  it  would  be  quite  "^^^  "  J^^^fJ/'^^.^  a  course  ;  because, 
sertion  that  the  Cherokees  ''^^^.P-J^^'^  ';\Vy  have  no  ri.ht  to  make 
in  the  first  place,  =^*=^»^f 'S^V;*  ^''^i'^XL  u  v^.„ald  not  be  f.vorablc 
such  a  prohibition;  ^-V"  V'%!^.f ^^^^^ttrefore  to  interfere  and 
'::^JZL^::'^Z^  :^^  ow^.  institutions,-  these  not  being 


I    '. 


"■»}i<r^- 


64 


Examination  of  Gov.  Cass 


•i 


P 


adnpted  to  subserve  thnir  liitrbcst  inteinsts,  and  out  of  pure,  disinter- 
ested cotnpassioii  t()r  tlioir  iirnoriincc,  to  draw  iij)  and  establish  among 
tbein  a  uv.w  code  of  law — a  code;  which  may  enable  ns  to  divide  and 
denationalize  them  just  as  we  please.  'I'liere  is  one  other  obstacle 
to  liis  plan  of  division,  but  which  he  ])robably  considered  so  slight  as 
not  to  be  worth  nientionniir  ;  and  that  is — the  sixteen  treaties  by  which 
the  United  States  have  solemidy  <riiaraiilied  to  the  Cherokees  as  a  na- 
tion, and  not  as  individuals,  the  undisturbed  possession  of  their  ter- 
ritory. 

But  in  our  age,  treaties  ami  all  other  obligations  must  give  way  to 
the  "  considerations  of  ex|)ediency  and  necessity.  '  This  writer  ac- 
tually makes  the  following  protiigate  assertion.  ''  The  mode  of  (irquir- 
iuit  t/ii:  posufSfori/  riii/it  of  the  Jtiriidiis  is  a  r/itrsfiiin  of  expediency, 
and  not  of  prindfj/r !"  We  have  before  impeached  him  for  dis- 
honesty as  a  disputant  ;  we  may  now  accuse  him  of  flagrant  immor- 
ality as  a  writer.  We  charge  him  with  upholding  a  doctrine  which, 
if  it  were  universally  |)ractised,  would  overturn  society  from  its  foun- 
dations, would  make  us  a  comuuiuity  of  demons,  and  would  sweep 
away  every  vestige  of  nioridity  and  religion  irom  among  us,  He  de- 
clares that  in  our  conduct  with  one  another  we  arc  no  longer  to  regard 
moral  princi|)lc,  no  longer  to  be  guided  by  what  our  consciences  tell 
us  is  risiht  and  just,  l>ut  by  wliat  we  f)urselves  judge  to  be  expedient! 
Even  Bonaparte's  principles  of  concpiest  were  better  than  this;  for  he 
alwa\s  declared  that  Ids  battl(;s  and  his  iisurp;itions  would  be  for  the 
world's  henift.  But  (Jov.  Cass  acknowledtjes  no  law  save  that  of 
his  own  ronvenienee.  "  Ex|)ediency"  is  his  motto,  in  all  cases  where 
*princi|)le'  and  sellisliuess  hap|)eii  not  to  coincide. 

There  are  very  many  points  of  error  and  sophistry  in  this  article  on 
which  our  limits  would  not  pernnt  ns  to  remark.  One  of  them,  es- 
pecially, is  of  such  a  nature  that  we  cannot  now  but  notice  it.  Chan- 
cellor ivcnt  observes  that  the  Indians  in  New  York  are  'placed  under 
our  protection,  and  subject  to  our  coercion,  so  far  as  the  public  safjij 
requires  it,  and  no  farther."  Now  our  profound  commentator  on  na- 
tional law  gravely  tells  the  '  learned  Chancellor,'  tliat  he  could  never 
have  meant  to  restrict  the  extent  of  the  terms,  '  public  safety,'  to  cases 
involving  actual  danger,  but  that  he  must  have  intended  to  define  it, as 
according  to  the  political  system  of  this  profe.ssor  of  '  expediency  and 
necessity'  it  ought  to  be  defined,  "  the  permanent  interest  of  both 
])nrties!!"  We  imagine  th:.  'learned  Chancellor'  must  be  highly 
gratified  with  the  coin|)liment  Gov.  Cass  pays  to  his  integrity,  in  thus 
bestowiuir  upon  his  terms  such  a  Machiavellian  construction.  From 
Nimrod  down  to  Napoleon  no  usurper  or  coinpieror  has  ever  existed, 
who  did  not  pretend  to  fight  and  usurp  for  the  '  permanent  interest 
of  both  ])artios.' 

It  may  be  thought  improper  to  have  mentioned  Gov.  Cass,  as  the 
author  of  the  article  in  the  North  American.  We  certainly  should 
not,  in  ordinary  cases,  disclose  the  name  of  a  reviewer,  who  had  chosen 
to  write  anonymously.  But,  in  this  case,  tlie  Reviewer  is  the  last 
man  in  the  country,  who  would  wish  his  authorship  to  remain  alto- 


•■•iSS^; 


on  the  Removal  of  the  M^ns. 


55 


tlfl     nil-    -• - 

0,i„U,  tl.«t  1"»  ■"«""'  ?'""        ;;'■,«•  very  w,.|l  Lis  "S"";*  "    "  '' 
matter  ;  'I'l'i  ''■  '     •""•  o  t 

, Jper "..ul  i"  <""  """'"^'  •,  "^;  °.S  ty   anJ  »i.l.  corrccl  moral 

We  arc  ac(iuaint.Hl  only  uitli  1   .  im'  ^..^^^riaiued  any  feelings  but 

Liv'dual   ve  shoaUl  be  very  g'">t> ,  '  ^^.^'^  ,,i,u  we  can  form  ior  his 

ho  e  of  undisson,l)lcd  k"ub,ess       Iho  be  t  ^^^^^  bitterly  re- 

;;!:;:\nd  lastm,  i-;;;-^  u;.' m.h^>,>  i->p'«.  --  ^^^-^^  '^"'"^ 

^h:^■^ndr;ed^rr;^.o  tn;;..;.  ...^;-'  ,„  ,,,  eharact.  and 
Were   it  possible  to  ""^:S"\«  ^^"  \  ,'    a  l.fer  the   power  of  some 
coXn  of^the  I"^^'^"^,^,^^;L  -  n'  its  tnie  i.^ors  tl.  cnrn- 

unfortunate  mistake  ;  or  that  ne  m  .^,i„  i   the  case  won  d 

K        of  tl^e  -^--  '''  '^'^LTS  ca   not  Sve  that  such  a  man  could 
be  somewhat  ditVerent.     But  wee.  ,      ,^^  j^^g  advocated    or 

be   "nonuit  of  the  real  nature  ol    ^'   ^^ „  ^i,,  ^^uth,  and  with  so 
tin     with   so  many  opportunities  tor  k nou     .  ^.^acquuinted  with 

'^nch  parade  of  ^-i'-^^^  ,  T'S    whose   character    he  has    grossly 
the   actual  co.ulitiou  of  the   tubes  w  considerable  labor  of 

misrep  esented.     Ue  has  evenj,u      '    -  ,^  ,,,  ,„ight  till  up  the 

Te  ea  ch  for  the  darkest   '-'t,       e  know  less  of  the  Cherokees 
ptcture.     And  if,  as  he    '■•\^  ^^f ;;,  ;  V.li/.e.l  tribes,  what  a  perversion 
£    of  the  more  degraded  and       cm'  ^^^^^^  i„hnman.ty  of 

of  moral  feeling,  what  utter  -^';^'^Z  to  the  character  of  such  a 
tart  does  it  «>;-.-  "PP'^ut  to^allege  it  as  a  reason  for  depriving 
SmW'thei:  most  vaLujle  rights  1  ^    .^^^  ,,,,,,, 

'  t  is  a  dark  crime  to  ^1"»;  '.,;,/.  cabumiinte  tlio  character  o  a 
But  it  is  one  of  uncommon  '"'^  ''-''  ^  \,„,,t,>,  and  ,U-fenceless,-pecu- 
whole  people^a  people  abs.mtutortun,^^.^^_^^^^    ^  voice  to  rente 

Uarly  unprotected  from  ^«;;  ';'';^,^„'  .i,,raded  beneath  the  ra.k  of 
the  repr.  ach  ;--'i  P^'>pl*^,  '^'''^'  ,  re  than  ever  entitled  to  the  com- 
their  proper   humanity,  but  "''^  V^'     ,i/;\,,ethren,  through  their  own 

'ti. ......  wo;*.a  a ,-:-;;- ,s:!^,,::i;";!:ff 

!"-.»*-  Clms,i.u  ■'■'•-;,:"^  '„'/„■  ,!,«■  have,  ll.al  our 


^ 


p-^^T^'.ftsn^-fi 


?^  i 


66 


Examination  of  Gov.  Cass 


and  not  of  principle  ;' — when  we  behold  him  making  light  of  the  sol- 
emn obligat'un  o!  treaties,  regretting  their  introduction,  laugiiing  at 
the  '  iin^luktn  bauvohitcc'  of  those  revolutionary  patriots  and  excel- 
lent men,  (among  whom  was  Washington,)  wlio  presumed  to  elevate 
'  these  little  Indian  connnunities'  to  the  rank  of  an  equal  party  in 
sucii  treaties; — wiien  we  behold  him  alleging  past  usurpation  in  other 
nations  to  justify  present  nsurpation  in  our  own,  and  meanly  endeav- 
oring to  deceive  his  readers,  and  give  strength  to  his  reasoning,  by 
garbled  extracts  from  tlie  law,  and  by  ([notations  of  overruled  opin- 
ions; when  we  behold   him  ungratefully  accusing  the  Indian  tribes 

without  any  exception,  of  '  unprovoked  aggressions  and  atrocious  bar- 
barities,' and  of  being  '  restless  and  mischievous'  and  savage  in  their 
disposition,  and  totally  regardless  of  their  promises  ;  and  when  we 
see  him  asserting,  without  scruple,  that  "all  have  a  right  to  join  in 
order  to  repress,  chastise'  and  disable  those  tribes; — and  to  crown 
all,  when  we  hear  him  proposing  a  most  detestable  plan  of  cruel  and 
perfidious  cunning,  by  which  we  might  succeed  in  overreaching 
them,  and  c-ijoling  them  out  of  their  inheritance — when  \ye  behold 
all  th'is  and  then  turn  our  eyes  to  their  true  condition,  and  imploring 
posture,  we  hesitate  not  to  declare  that  a  production  which,  like  that 
of  Gov.  Cass,  discloses  such  principles  and  such  propositions,  ought, 
in  the  mind  of  a  Christian  republic,  to  awaken  a  general  senti- 
ment of  indignation  against  its  author,  and  to  cover  his  name  with  dis- 
grace. 

By  the  power  of  his  sophistry  he  would  hurry  his  country  to  the 
violation  of  treaties  more  solemn,  of  obligations  more  binding  and 
repeated,  than  any  people,  in  their  natural  capacity,  ever  yet  swore  to 
preser'  e.'  They  are  the  more  solemn,  and  the  more  binding,  because 
they  are  made  with  a  people  defenceless  and  forsaken — a  people 
weaker  than  we— and  who  in  their  simplicity  have  imploringly  appeal- 
ed to  us  for  protocUun  from  the  evils  which  threaten  them.  If  ever 
pity  had  claims  upon  any  nation,  it  has  them  upon  ours.  If  ever  any 
tie  can  bind  us  to  compassionate  the  wretched,  it  is  that  of  helpless- 
ness. If  ever  we  are  called  to  unlock  all  our  sympathies,  to  exercise 
a  generous  forbearance,  and  to  be  kind  even  to  the  extremity  of  kind- 
ness, it  is  to  those,  who  are  wholly  in  our  power— it  is  when  the  cry 
comes  before  us  of  the  last  remnant  of  that  oppressed  people,  upon 
whose  very  ashes  our  republic  has  tlourished. 

What  is  the  plea  that  wc  use,  when  we  implore  His  mercy,  the  very 
slightest  of  whose  innumerable  favors  we  have  all  alike  forfeited  .'  Is 
it  not  our  own  weakness,  our  own  helplessness,  our  ow  n  utter  unwor- 
thiness  ?  But  with  what  face  can  we  make  this  plea,  if  we  deny  its 
efficacy  to  others  J  Have  we  no  feelings  of  humanity?  Arc  they 
not  men— are  they  notour  brethren  ?  Shs'll  benevolence  be  left  utterly 
out  of  the  question  l  Shall  we  forget  that  if  mercy  is  a  blessed  attri- 
bute and  a  binding  duty  in  the  catalogue  of  personal  virtues  and  indi- 
vidual obliirations,  it  is  still  more  blessed  and  still  more  binding,  when 
it  shines  in  the  ch^iracter,  and  holds  up  its  obligations  in  the  path  of 
a  great  nation  ?     Shall  we,  can  we  be  so  selfish,  with  a  territorial  do- 


on  the  Removal  of  the  Indians. 


57 


r  tlie  sol- 
igliing  at 
11(1  excel- 
iO  elevate 

party  in 
1  ill  other 
y  endeav- 
nning,  by 
jjcd  o[)in- 
iiiii  tribes 
:ious  bar- 
e  ill  their 
when  we 
o  join  in 

to  crown 
cruel  and 
rreaching 
ve  behold 
imploring 
,  like  that 
IS,  ought, 
:ral  senti- 
;  with  dis- 

try  to  the 
iding  and 
t  swore  to 
[,  because 
-a  people 
;ly  appeal- 
If  ever 
r  ever  any 
helpless- 
3  exercise 
y  of  kind- 
en  the  cry 
ople,  upon 

r,  the  very 
i'eited  .'  Is 
ter  unwor- 
e  deny  its 
Arc  they 
left  utterly 
jssed  attri- 
i  and  indi- 
ting, when 
he  path  of 
ritorial  do- 


r    11  Fnronc  ?to  break  up  the  homes 
n^inion  almost  coequal  with  ^h^t  of  a U  U  ope.l^^^^^^  ^  ^ 

Td   sacrifice  the  dearest  '"^^^'f,   "'^,^  n  it  of  bind  !     Beings  who  do 
?or  the  possession  of  one  poor  "'»  V;*^^;;;  /         jo  feel,  like  us   the  ties 
bear  hke  us,  the  image  ot  ^>'^^'^^;,^2v   whose  existence,  like  ours 
and  the  sympathies  of  common  »'"    l^^'to  one  common  Saviour,  but 
can     ever  ce.se;  who  are  like  "^        '':^^;,^i°  ^e  may  well  despair,  if 
7wTose  salvation,  both  fj--    Ive  t     m  f,n  their  own  soil,  or  ban- 

h.  long  as   lilb  remains  -^^^^J:^^ZT:::  ^ 
slaVery  and  in  whatever  'abandoned  degrada  on  y^^  beware  how 

oS  alienated  from  ^^^^'l^^^lX,,^!  thrust  them  beyond  the 
Jbi-^lXi^iratSinostbutimm^^^^^ 

,h.  ffnvcrci'rnfv  of  the  Indian  tribes. 

Opinion  of  Mr.  J---J^-   f,^    :2J^4.  10. 1701. 
From  a  Letter  to  General  A      .  ^^  .^ 

"  I  an.  of  opinion  ji-^^rs^.^i:^  ^^^  ^^^^:iz^x;^^ 

the  Indians  have  a  '•^>^  ^^»  j  j.,,,^,  t,,ey  happen  to  be  ;  ^-^^  "'^^  ^  g/.te  can 
States  wUhin  whose  cl  a  U,e^^^^^      ^^,,„,,„n  to  a  rea  y.  no  act  ot.a^^.^^^   ^^^ 

them  by  treaty  or  ot'^[  ,  .  ^,,^t  neither  |uncler  the  V'^^^t  to  treat  with  the 
give  a  right  to  «"^^  >a"^;  'i^^a  ,„y  Slate,  or  pe.-sons.  ^'l^'^'^Xlt  consent  has 
fhe  ancient  con  ede,a..on,ha^p  ^^y  ^^^^^^^  ^overnrnen  .  a  l^a^^^.^^^  ^  ^,^^t 
md.ans.  without  the  conse  ^^^^  ^^^^^^,,,  „t      fJr7he,atron<ig^  and  pro- 

never  been  g.ven  to  a  y  ti^    y  ^^,,  .^^  ^^„gy  for  Ike  J^^^^^^tween  the 

,he  governmenns  deye  m,n^c^.^^^^_  ^''^^E'^s  a     -adeon  lands  not  ce- 

tecUon  of  the  '"'^"'^.^'i        ^nd  that  if  any  "^ttlemenis  a  ^^^^    ^^^^„. 

United  States  a"  them  '  "        •         consent  of  the  y'",\^';.'*'t..;t  such  settle- 

'  dms  laldy  Mvered  before  theK.         J 

■t^Sh  ^i.rt^e«!-— xls:r'r^^;: 

independent,  that  iney 


08 


Civilization  and  Christianity  of  the  Indians. 


Viiltctl  Siiilr.i ;  tl>;it  tliclr  i'ii,'litH  upon  llio  Kmils  wlu-re  tlicy  iiili:ihit  or  hunt,  are 
acnirrd  U)  \.W-n\  U\  Ixninilai'c-.  dilincd  in  a  iiiiciibli  tnaliis  hiciwivw  llic  IJnitfd 
Stult'H  and  tlicmsclvcs  \  iiiid  tli:it  wliciu'Vcr  ll)o--c  Ijmiiid.irics  urc  varied,  't  is  al- 
so by  iimirnhlf.  iniil  ri>!iiiiliiiij  i.iciil'i\o,  by  uliicb  they  rcci'ivu  from  the  Unitt-d 
States  ample  comiii'ii-aiioii  tor  every  ri^,'lit  they  bive  to  die  land  ceded  by  them. 
'I'hey  are  so  ilir  d''pciul.'Ut  as  not  to  have  the  ri^Hit  (o  dispine  of  their  jands  to 
any  prl\ule  pi'ivon,  nor  lo  any  power  other  ihan  the  Uniled  States,  and  to  be 
under  l/irli-  /iniUdiou  aloiir,  and  not  under  tiiat  of  any  (W/cr /«j/rc/-.  U'lietiier 
called  sMl)j;xis,  or  by  uliAlever  name  d*  ,i;'-iiated,  .w/i/j  is  the  relation  between 
them  and  the  United  Slule-i.  That  relation  is  neither  asserted  now  for  the  first 
lime,  nor  (lid  it  orl^-in.ite  with  the  tiv.ily  of  (ir('en\  il'e.  These  ijrinrlples  have 
be.'ii  «/(//■(),,)/'// ;6(H;'//''-.rf/ by  the  Indians  ihem.elves  not  'mly  by  that  treaty, 
but  in  ('//  liu:  ud'icr  i),ici.oiig  113  well  an  liie  aiibsriuunt  IrcuLks  between  them  and 
the  United  States." 


fRESEMT     ST.ITE     OF     CIVILIZATION     MiO     CliniiTIANrrV     AMONO 

TUE     INDIANS. 

At  a  fuliirc  dtiy,  wlion  wo  look  tipori  this  subject  in  the  liglit  of 
expcricnct!,  it  will  iijipoar  not  the  Ictist  iistotiishiii^f  iiiid  niotniiful  part 
of  it  tliiit  hiiicli  opinions  slionld  jiiivc  been  tittered  in  reiiuid  to  the 
incnriiblciicss  of  wlr.it  is  wild  and  disoideri^  in  the  Indian  character. 
Notliin!;f  oiiirlit  more  sensibly  to  aw.iken  our  indignation,  than  the 
liypocniic  il  wliinin^j  of  .some  statc;-men  over  what  tl)ey  are  pleased 
to  term  the  melancholy  result  of  past  elforts,  and  the  hopeless-- 
ncss  of  all  fultiro  ones,  to  christi:ini/,e  tliese  peojde.  As  if  God's  plan 
of  redemption  were  not  suited  to  the  chaincter  of  all  mankind! 
As  if  He,  whose  essence  is  mercy,  h  id  created  a  race  of  imman,  in- 
telli<ient,  and  iiccotintahle  lieinnis,  with  such  peculiarities  in  their 
moral  consfittition  as  to  render  it  iiiipossibie  that  they  can  ever  be 
brought  into  ol)edience  to  his  laws  or  under  the  iuHuence  of  his 
Spirit!  Such  pecnii  irities  as  pass  upon  them  an  irreversible  sentence 
of  endless  opposition  to  his  nature?  and  banishment  from  his  presence! 
The  jiroposition  is  not  ni"rely  absurd — it  is  awlnllv  blasphemous.  And 
yet,  siranoe  as  it  may  seem,  it  is  undoubtedly  the  truth,  that  the  minds 
even  of  Christians  have  in  some  cases  been  so  blinded  as  to  incline 
to  this  belief.  And  witii  the  <rreiit  mass  of  the  community  it  has 
bng  been  an  established  tenet  that  the  Indians  c  innot  be  civilized, 
and  of  coarse  that  they  cannot  be  christianized  ;  for  light  and  heat  do 
not  so  certainly  accoinpiiny  the  progress  ot  ti,  >  sun.  as  civilization 
waits  upon  the  march  of  Christianity.  Are  the  soiemn  deci  irations 
of  Gods  word  to  1)6  disbelieved,  and  is  the  testimonv  of  all  past  ex- 
perience to  be  bl(,ited  out?  Have  they  never  heard  of  the  Sandwich 
Islanders,  or  coinp  ired  their  dreiidi'ul  wickedness  and  degradation 
twenty  years  ago,  with  the  piety,  the  decorum,  the  morality,  tlie  social 
and  civil  order,  and  the  domestic  relinement  and  happiness,  which  are 
found  among  them  at  litis  d  ly  ?  And  are  they  jirepired  to  assert  that 
th(^  al'origines  of  North  America  are  less  likt  ly  to  be  subjected  to  the 
operation  of  Christianity  than  a  people  who  have  been,  from  the  time 


c;.fa.;»«»-'CAnv;™i., »/-;..  W'-"""- 


59 


• 


Of  their  ai.covo,y  nil  ''!'■  i^'^;;,;;'';;;/;^!.^::  "-"-JtJ^ 

and  a  ,,rovorU  .n  tl..-  whole   ^^  >;'  ;/^;  ^^  „„,  ,,,^ ,,  r.s.,rt  m.r..ly  t(  the 

Tn  contu„r.tlion  of  tl>.>  n^.t ..  „,,.,,•„•,,„,  ,vc  wish  to  make  one 

But  before  wc  proccra  l'> ^  f "  "  , ,    .,,^,   ...-rne.tu.lly  »*^s(.-rting   the 

moral  inci.pbil.l.c.  ot  ^1"  /    !'  "    ,„t,,  f„u,r..  (as  tlu-y  assrrt)  o    all 
^cc  for  a  melancholy  proof  <>'  1    ;"',,,„  ,^.,0  vluU  there  l.ul  been 

:;;:-ri-o;oru..;..,;- 
^;;-:i;;:i;^:-^5 

the  effect  «f '^  Siven   'l'"*"^     /   .J        l-s   not  exactly  co.ncule  with 
hat  they  .letcrmino   uhe»  \>  '  [\    ^V      „„netbn..r  uro...  ...   .t.  con- 

the  r   previ<...s  calculano...     ';^         ;^/  ^Ve  w.sb  to  re.niu.l  then,  that 
struct  on   and  ..nperloet  ...  .1^  '  •  U^      '  ^,,^,„,   i„„„!,U,  i„  the  v.ew 

;  e.r  "failuv.""    a.H»  ....stake  '^;";\,,,i,  ,„u.re  clepen.lence  on 

o     heir  o>vn  ii,n.ora,.ce,  a..d  «^"-     «;    '^  ^,,.  ,,„l.ri,.,'  the.n  .mpat.cnt 

oreibrl,  a..<l  an.ry  at   an   ^^^^^^   ^^[^  ,1,,;.  cri.nh.al  i.npat.on|^.  a^ 
erincr   .nirror  of  ll.e.r  ow...      '^         ,.  ^,n        »  .iVorts,  we  w.sh  them 
1 1.  thev  call  the  nuhi.icholy  .isul    01  ^^,,^|^,^  ^p,,g. 

t:li^:^-  ^Hll-n.t  iV";",r'  .-  unnin  ...iud  and  U.e  A.Ul.or 
Sn  dictates,  a..d  wh.ch  '»«  '  ;  '^;,;;  'Vhat  would  have  been  their 
^f  nnr  roli-'i'.n  has  hiinselt  pursu.o.  ^^  acted  towards  us  on 

:l:"  ^HUon  and  ours  '-;^-;-":^,,^:;nduct,  which  .hey  exhd.a 
?rsa.ne  l>ri"cipl- -' ^   -^';;;f ,,,  ^  ,,  .,,iu,te.  the  P»t.eno.=  wh.ch 


1 


60 


Civilization  and  Christianity  of  the  Indiani. 


of  jjrncc  fiill  yet  longer  upon  it,  let  the  opportunities  of  mercy  be  still 
hell!  out. 

We  shall  coiiimo  our  oxtriictH  and  remarks  principiilly  to  the  Chero- 
kees,  Chickasavvs,  imd  Choctaws.  The^e  are  the  tribes  which  would 
be  most  deeply  atlected  by  u  removal  ;  and  llu;  projrreHS  of  civilization 
and  ('liristianity  is  most  remarkable  and  most  encourayiing  among  them; 
although  missiona  and  schools  have  been  established  in  many  other 
Indian  communities. 

CitEnOKKF.H. 

The  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions  com- 
nieMC(ul  their  operations  among  tli<-  Cherokees  in  IHI7.  About  two 
years  afterwards  Mr.  Hodgson,  the  English  traveller,  visited  the  Cher- 
okee tribe,  ami  bore  testimony  to  the  judicious  arrangement  of  the 
mission,  tiic  sincerity  and  benevolence  of  the  missionaries,  and.  the 
encouraging  prosptict  of  success,  'riiere  arc  now  8  missionary  stations, 
a  church  ami  a  school  being  established  at  each.  In  182^  the  churches 
contained  IV.i  memi)ers,  and  the  schools  174.  The  next  year  there 
were  18:2  members  in  the  former,  and  18(»  in  the  latter. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Society  have  4  stations  in  the  same  trdie  ; 
at  each  of  which  there  is  a  school.  In  all  the  four  schools  are  con- 
tained about  m)  scholars.  The  Baptists  have  likewise  two  stations 
among  the  Cherokees,  and  the  United  Brethren,  or  Moravians,  two. 

Outlines  of  the  Cunstltulion  adopted  hi/  the  Cherokees  ;  as  abstracted 
for  the  Missionary  Herald  in  18iJ8. 

This  instrument  was  framed  and  adopted  at  New  Echota,  the  seat  of  gov- 

ernmenr,  in  Jiilv,   IH^!/,  by  (UUgates  from  the  eipht  distncts,  into  which  the 

territory  of  tlie  Cherokees  has,  for  some  time  been  divided.  ,.       ,         , 

The  provisions  of  tiie  Constitution  are  classed  under  six  general  heads,  and 

are  arain  subdivided  accordiiijr  to  tlie  number  of  topics. 

The  Jirxt  Article  regards  tlie  hounduries  of  their  terntory,  and  their  riglitsot 
sovereignty  within  those  boundaries. 

The  second  divides  the  power  of  the  government  into  three  departments, 
legislative,  executive,  and  judicitd. 

The  tltir<l,  consisting  of  twenty-six  sections,  describes  the  nature  and  powers 
of  tiie  Legislature.  This  is  to  consist  of  a  Committee  and  a  Conned,  each  hav- 
ing a  negative  on  the  other,  and  both  to  be  styled  the  (ieneral  Conned  ot  the 
Cherokee  nation.  The  Committee  is  to  consist  of  two  members  from  each  ot 
the  eight  districts,  and  tlie  Council  of  tln-ee,  to  be  chosen  by  the  qualified  electors 
in  their  respective  districts,  for  the  term  of  two  years  All  free  male  citizens, 
except  persons  of  African  origin,  who  have  attained  the  age  of  eighteen  years, 
are  equally  entitled  to  vote  at  public  elections,  and  are  to  vote  viva  voce.  I  he 
other  provisions  of  this  Article  need  not  be  specified  :  they  are,  we  believe, 
similar  to  those  which  govern  the  legislative  proceedings  in  the  States  ot  the 

The  fourth,  containing  twenty -five  sections,  relates  to  the  executive  power. 
This  is  vested  in  a  Principal  Chief,  to  be  chosen  by  the  General  Council,  and  to 
hold  his  office  four  years.  An  Assistant  Principal  Chief  is  to  be  chosen  at  the 
same  time  ;  and  every  vear  three  men  are  to  be  appointed  by  the  Genera* 
Council  to  be  associated  with  the  Assistant  Principal  Chief  as  advisers  ot  the 
Principal  Cliief.     The  powers  of  the  executive  are  ample,  yet  well  guarded. 


^ 


CmUzation  and  ChruHmity  of  the  Tndiani. 


CI 


f  •«..  hulicmry.     Tbe    judicial 
The    m  .Icflne.  the   nulmc  «'"\  I'^r^^^^hcuJra  una  intVrior  court,  u. 

ment,  the  Pr«=*«r^''^'Tu  fo  evoV »^«  e..cour«g.d  '".^'l'- ""'^'^"^uine  of  the  Consti- 
„oan8  of  education  BhaUton.vo^^^^^^^^  ""Lwcver,   to  show    that 


i„!lted  nali"""-  r,i,.„„rrilioiis  of  the  American  Board  in 

From  the  B™""'  •'""  "'  '  f    r,T     hicl,  our  reader,  will  oo.npare 
IsSTe  mak'c  the  f""-'",S  ««  ,'  \^  '  lotico  ,.urtico[nrl,    what  . 

^"V-    il^lellTllJLtrr  ieltlil  invention.  n,ay  he  fonnd 
7^^^^  on  intertcan  Uteratnre.  _^ 

Sg^s  becoming  more  general. 


62 


Civilization  and  Christianity  of  the  Indians. 


"  Ethiralinn. — More  tliim  100  of  tlie  scliolars  reside  in  the  mission  families, 
perform  various  kinds  oFhihor,  and  arc  trained  up  like  the  children  of  (Christian 
parents. — About  230  hiive  left  llie  school  at  Iir;iirerd  alone,  most  of  them  hav- 
lug  made  cons'dffahlc  advances  in  knowledn'c.  Parents  manifest  an  increasing 
desire  to  have  tiieir  childicn  instnictiHl,  and  the  number  of  boarding'  scholars 
mi;?ht  be  enlaig-cd  to  almost  any  extent. 

•'The  press  is  owned  by  the  Clicrokce  g'overnment,  and  is  superintended 
and  worked  by  men  of  their  appointment.  It  however  facilitates  the  labors  of 
the  missionaries  and  the  dilfusion  of  knowledg'c. 

"  The  following-  g'.=ne:;d  remarks,  taken  from  the  19lh  Report  of  the  Amei-l- 
can  Board  of  I'oreifjn  Missions,  aie  worthy  of  nolife. 

"  «  It  is  an  ime.Mimpled  fad,  that  in  some  ])la(:es  nearly  all  the  adult  popub- 
lion,  and  in  the  tribe  at  larg-e,  more  than  one  luilf,  are  acUially  capable  of  read- 
ing-  their  own  langiKij'c,  in  their  ow  n  pccidiar  ehaiacier,  having' learned  from 
small  manuscripts,  and  without  ever  ha\in;;  become  aequain'ed  with  any  other 
alphabet,  r)r  possessed  a  sliij^le  pag-e  of  a  printed  book  in  any  lang'iiage. 

"  •  There  is  a  j^'vcat  im();'ovem'"nt  in  many  families  with  respect  to  industry, 
nei.tncss,  and  manner  of  livi'ig-.  A  laig'c  proportion  of  the  people  dress  much 
better  than  formerly.  Many  of  the  women  s|)in  and  weave  cotton,  and  thus 
furnisli  cloth  for  very  decent  ga'  menis  of  their  own  manufacture.' 

"  At  e:ich  of  the  stations,  except  iwo,  there  is  a  farm  of  considerable  extent, 
under  the  direction  of  the  mission  family  ;  on  wiiicli  the  boys  are  taught  to  la- 
ijor.  Tiie  girls  perform  various  kinds  of  domestic  work.  At  I'.rainerd  there  is 
a  grisi-inill,  a  saw-mi!l,  a  blacksmith's  slh)p,  under  the  care  of  the  Board. 
These  are  of  very  great  use  to  the  people." 

From  the  genet-al  view  of  operations  of  the  same  Board  in  1S29  we 
extract  the  following  iulbrmation. 

"  The  members  of  tile  churches  generally  are  very  attentive  to  preaching, 
and  use  diligently  all  the  means  of  grace.  They  are  exemplary  in  their  con- 
duct, and  many  of  them  make  gi'eat  exertions  to  suppress  vice,  disseminate  re- 
ligious knowledge,  and  manifest  more  maturity  of  Ciii'isllan  character.  Public 
worship,  conducted  b}'  nailve  members  of  tlie  church,  is  held  in  three  or  four 
places  remoie  from  the  stations. 

"  Schools. — At  the  schools  generally,  the  pupils  have  attended  more  regularly 
than  heretofore  and  made  better  pi  ogress.  Parents  set  a  higher  value  on  the 
schools,  and  exert  themselves  more  to  educale  their  children.  Some  of  the 
schools  have,  iiowevcr,  been  afltcied  by  the  agitation  occasioned  by  the  appre- 
hension of  being  removed  w  est  of  the  >iississi|)pi. — More  than  100  of  the  scliol- 
ars  bnard  in  the  mission  families,  and  are  trained  to  various  kinds  of  labor.  Many 
leave  the  schools  annually  with  an  edui  ation  sufficient  for  the  common  business 

of  life. 

"  Iinprovnnnnt  among  the  Proplc. — They  are  beenming  more  indnstrfous,  a 
large  portion  have  good  farms  and  comforiable  houses,  raise  an  abundance  of  the 
necessaries  of  life,  and  mamifaciure  their  own  clothnig.  —  During  the  year  socie- 
ties have  been  formed,  in  various  parts  of  the  nation,  lor  the  promotion  of  tem- 
perance, on  llie  pvinclple  of  entii'e  'ibstinence,  and  large  mimbers  have  joined 
them.  A  Xatioinil  Society  for  this  object  wts  formed  at  New  Echota  during  the 
last  session  of  the  leglslaiuie.  The  civil  ollicers  enforce  the  laws  against  the 
introduction  of  ardent  s()irlts,  and  impose  ii.ies  on  ti-ansgressors.  A  great  ref- 
ormation has  been  iiie  consecjuence.  The  system  of  government  adopted  ia 
1827,  has  gone  into  sieady  operation,  and  the  people  are  contented  and  order- 
ly.— Most  of  the  adults  can  read  their  own  language. 

•'  The  Piess. — The  Gospel  of  Matthew  and  a  collection  of  hymns  tians'ated 
by  Mr.  Worcester,  liave  been  printed  in  tlie  Cherokee  character,  in  an  edition 
of  1000  copies  each.    Tlie  people  every  where  manifest  a  strong  desire    to 


X 


Civilization  and  Christianity  of  the  Indians. 


63 


"\t August  1839  .h3  teacher  of  .he   »hool  at  .he  B.aine.d  S.a.ioa 

writes  thus.  ,  ., ,     ,   i,.,vf.  rmclp  greater  proficiency 

..„unn,U,elastyeav,I  .hlnk  the  ^^i-,;-^  r't.Sools  .i:.  attended 
than  di.ving  any  year  pvev.on  '>^  ^^'  „,,      „f  vv„om  were  tvom  among 

on  the  5(11  n«t.  by  «l>wa.xU  ot       0     a,o..  J^^  ^^^.  ^^^^  ^u^nments 

the  most  respectable  m  the  "=^V  .  '     'o  ••     ■  s  1  can  learn  ,  and  there  is  no  doubt 
o    the  scholU      AH  were  S-  ' h-^,  '^  ;  ^  .e  .   terest  b;  the  people  now,   than 

^•. ,r-  SE  '-e-'S^S  ti;^  sonnd  o.  the  Oospel.   and   ..ve.  us  move 

intlirence.  ..„  ,„.i  condition  of   the  Cherokcos  is  certainly  mi- 

u  ,v„,c  of  .1fon,/,s-.-'lbe  .'^;  !^ ,^^  'S        ,.,  ,„d  men  of  inHnenee  and  author- 

proving.     Ten.peran.x-  ^'''-•-  ^    "^ ,  ^    '  ;'  ,,^„,,.e  morality.     A  case  occurred 

ty    are  usin|?  the  I'O^er  vesu-d  un        1  _.^  ^^^^^^^^  ^^^^   ^.,,^,„,g  ,^^  ,, 

last  spring-,  where  one  ot  the  .l''''S' '^  "V  wh-kov,  dirccu-d  his  shcr.ff  to  fol- 
the  court"h<.use  slron^ly  -'"l"-,;;;';  ^  .  ,A  the'  woods,  and  <k  stroy  the  wins- 
low  certain  susp.c/.ed  I-''-'"  '  /  ,'-;,;^t",  •  poviriu^  it  oiV  on  the  s'vound,  as  the 
key.  He  succeeded,  and  ^^  '  ^'"^'^  ^^^  ,,J  ft^ed  I'-.fty  Dollars  each  for 
men  appeared.     Uv  the  same  ,pul-t  six  me  ^^ 

Ba"bl<,  and  one' was  lined  for  profaneness.  ,      .     ,  ,r  t.,]. 

**  -A   \t   nnnoars  that  on  the  first  ol  July 

.  From  reports  at  the ^ame  per  od  PP-^^^^  ,,.  ,,,  ,„,ch,  in- 

1828  there  were  at  the  -  '"^      ^^"^  ^.^,t  ^fj^iy  18-.U  there  were  34; 
eluding  tlie  mission  family.     ^J»  ^''^ 
of  whom  ly  were  native  members. 

IVwh  in  the  Cherokee  Language. 

■   ,     f         1  of  Mitthcw  in  the  Cherokee  language, 
..  One  thousand  copies  o    the  l.ospt .        .  -      .^^^^^^^  ^^^  ^^^^  Cherokee  national 

and  in  the  ne.v  -''■''>-'=''=Vl  ■  trX^'a  "n\  -  nu!de  bv  the  llev.  S.  A.  Worcester, 
press,  at  New  Erhota.  ll>^/'''~  '^^.u.ued  at' that  place,  assisted  by  Mr. 
[he  missionary  of  the  ^V:"''';'m  '  .kee  VI  e  Ix-  A  very  large  portion  ot  the 
Boudinot,   the    editor  ot  the     -     .okecU^^^^   ^^^^^^^^   .,,.crally,  in   the  nation, 

members  of  the  nnssion  ''"'^    ;-  :"   ^  „„,,  Scriptures. 

are  now  able  to  read  this  po       n  '  *    » .^        ■\,^.  „,';,,H..three,  designed  to  aid  m 
"  A  «'-^"  ''r'^-I'l^etee    Pl«  ed  '3v'he  same  persons,  and  printed  in  the 
rehgious  worship,  have  otcn  ]n<.\ 

<iame  lanffuaffc  and  cUaiacler.  ■,   •       .i 

same  lanj,     o  obtam   the 

In  Sept.  18-;),  a  ----^j  WU^  Ch^rl^  «»  the  vtcinttyof  the 
Scriptures  has  becu  maniicsted  by  ttic  v.neru 


J     f 


64  Civilization  and  Christianity  of  the  Indians. 

Baptist  mission  (at  the  Valley  Towns)  that  Mr.  Jones,  (the  missiona- 
ry,)  has  purchased  already  200  copies  of  Matthew  s  Gospel. 

To  these  statements  we  may  add  the  testimony  of  Col.  McKenney, 
in  his  "  Reports  and  proceedings,"  submitted  to  Congress. 

«'  Of  the  Cherokees  it  is  due  that  I  should  speak  from  my  knowled(?e,  ob- 
tiined  iiowever,  otherwise  than  by  personal  observation,  in  terms  of  high  com- 
riiendation.  They  have  done  much  for  themselves.  It  has  been  the.r  good  for- 
Zueto  have  had  bo<-n  among  then,  some  great  men.  Of  these  the  late  Charles 
Hicks  stood  pre-em.aent.  Under  his  wisdom,  which  was  guided  by  virtues  of 
Trare  quality,  these  People  have  been  elevated,  in  privileges  of  every  local 
description,  high  above  their  neighbors.  Thf.t  skkk  to  be  a  Pf.oplk  ;  and 
to  maintain,  by  law  and  good  government,  those  principles  which  maintam  the 
security  of  persons,  defend  the  rights  of  property,  &c." 

In  another  official  document  from  which  we  shall  have  occasion  to 
quote  a  more  general  testimonial,  the  same  gentleman  observes,  "The 
Cherokees  on  this  side  the  Mississippi  are  in  advance  of  all  other  tribes. 
They  may  be  considered  as  a  civilized  peoi)le.  Their  march  has  been 
rapid  "  He  quotes  the  letter  of  David  Brown,  a  converted  Cherokee,  m 
regard  to  which  he  remarks  that  ''Theory  and  all  previously  conceived 
opinions,  which  are  averse  to  Indian  capacity  and  Indian  improvcjncnt 
must  sive  way  to  the  stubborn  demonstrations  of  such  facts  as  Vavid 
Brown   discloses,  even   if  there  were  no  others ;  but   there  are  many 

such." 

The  following  are  extracts  from  this  letter. 

"  Thp  natives  carry  on  considerable  trade  with  the  adjoining  States  ;  and  some 
of  them  export  cotton  in  boats,  down  the  Tennessee,  to  the  Mississippi,  and  down 
Iharriver  to  New-Orleans.  Apple  and  peach  orchards  are  ciuite  common,  and 
Senlare  cultivated  and  much  attention  paid  to  them.  Butter  and  cheese  are 
feen  on  Cherokee  tables.  There  are  many  public  roads  in  the  riation,  and  houses 
of  entertainment  kept  by  natives.  Numerous  and  flourishing  villages  are  seen  m 
fverv  sec  "  n  of  the  counry.  Cotton  and  woollen  cloths  are  manufactured  here. 
BlanLts  of  various  dimensions,  manufactured  by  Cherokee  hands,  are  very  com- 
Son  Almost  every  family  in  the  nation  grows  cotton  for  its  own  consumption, 
hidustry  and  commercial  enterprize  are  extendiuL;  themselves  m  every  part. 
Near  y  all  the  merchants  in  the  nation  are  native  Cherokee.  Agricultural  Pur- 
suUs,  (the  most  solid  foundation  of  our  national  prosperity,)  engage  the  chief  at- 
tention of  Ihe  people."  ^  #  »  »  *  »         # 

*  *  * 

"  Schools  are  increasing  every  year  ;  learning  is  encouraged  and  rewarded.— 
The  vouTclass  acquire  the  English,  and  tiiose  of  mature  age  the  Cherokee  sys- 
tern  of TaTning.  The  female  character  is  elevated  and  duly  respected.  Indolence 
s  discomlenanced.  Our  native  language,  in  its  philosophy,  genius,  and  sympho- 
nv  is  "nferio  to  few,  if  any,  in  the  world.  Our  relations  with  all  nations,  savage 
"r'civihzed  Ire  of  I^  most  friendly  character.  We  are  out  of  debt,  and  our  public 
Revenue  s^'ira  flourishing  condit'.n.  Our  system  of  government,  fo'mdedjo" 
Republican  principles,  by  vvhich  justice  is  equally  distributed,  secures  the  respect 
of  the  people." 

Mr    McCoT  devotes  several  pages  to  an  exhibition  of  the  improve- 
ment among  fhe  Cherokees,  and  declares,  " /«  viewofthciircccding 
fact  it  is  presumed  that  none  will  hesitate  to  admit   that  the  Cherokees 
are  a  civilized  people" 


f^   » 


CMizationandChrMmityofthcMiam. 


6& 


Missionaries  remarks,  institutions,  which  now 

ing  the  Clu-rokocs  ^"}^^^  ^  ,Vbul  rueful  har.d  ""  '^  'J^'^'^yJ  ^Jr,,  it  let  alone, 
ye°arB  holding  the  ''^'''I'l'ZLZnl  fixed  it  on  a  firm  c.v.l  ^  '^^^'i;^  "  •,  ,  be  easy  to 
Nation  up  a  dangerous  pcc>ce  a,  ^^^.^^^   .^  '^'""'^'['t^lXupM  the  reli- 

it  will   doubtless  prosper  ,  mu  n  .  i„  br.  aK  1 1  .^,;j 

Jlu«ge  it  into,  the  fy«!^^;'7bc  churches,  a^>d  to  cau.e  ^'^  P^^;;^'''',;^^  s,  and  ul- 
gioul  institution.,  to  f '^  ^"  '^^^^^^^^  ,ben.selves  to  '"'"^"^'^^  ['"'n' they  become  ut- 
f„a  relig-- -'"c  :b    wS  2.y  w.H  he  7;'"  S,  e  -;  pl^.lanthropi^t 

-rc7ed^rieVe:J:irtUplerromru.n;- 

CIIOCTAWS. 

The  missions  among    the    Choctaws  weve^  con;.en<.d  ;nj^^ 

the  foUowing  extracts  Irom         s 

Board  in  1829.  prevailing  attention  became  ap- 

,  in  the  northeast  ais  ^^^^  nation,  the  excie  intelliffenco. 


parent  in  the  ""  l'  «"f^^^'',„  p,,ns  of  me  nat.nn.  ^  '""Y;,^,  latest  intelligence. 

ihe  last  year,  "P'"'"'     wHhou     ahntement,  HH  ^''^.^'^^^  °e  ."  the  preachini?  of  the 

strong,  and  'j""l\"l'?f,;^  ^'^rfest.d  the  "^>"''«V':'*^t!S     and  those  would  hear 
The  people  had  before  "  'in   ^__  ^^^^^^  collected  at  an  ettug,  a^^^^  ^^^   .^^  ^j.^^„  ^^. 


"  £(/iic«(wn.— tet  " '"'  ■    "^    summarv  view  ol  uii  111  ^c, 

othetvaiage-    'H-  f'^"  ;;;;•;«;..„  langu.-'i.  a  n.ost  universal.  ^^^^ 

Fupl  learning  Choctaw  only, 


172 

24 

100 


White  children  in  all  the  schools, 


296 
23 


Total,        319 


u«r.lr_-r)4  others  in  the  New- 
.  -U  stndvin.  English,  C7  read  well  m  nny  book-64^o_th^^^^  .^ 

Of  the  pup.ls  tndymg  t.  g^^^^^^^    ^^^^,,„         W  wro  e        ^^^^^1^._^  ,y 

!S^:r  a;,tll^;cW^^  ^.^^  ^S^d^^y-s  and  answers  .n  cate- 


V.,.  V..-  r    .        ,  gft  ■_  easy  reaums ..i„,      i,,  tiie    niiui""-"    o^....^.^. 

cQuested  that  each  ■  ''?ht  ^"^       ^,  „,^s  in  the  S''"'  Tr    "=r!^another  spe! 


''  ^''7  «::£-Ti;ee^h,  oUs  in  the  ^-«-';^=^oU;er  spelling- 
-  .'/- ""'  "{e  "  inirod'-ctory  «l''>l'"'^,':;t44li;8'onsisting  of  Scripture 

{::SoS^^{i---n'S::fi^^^^ 

extracts  and  other  ubb 


66 


Cuiltzation  and  Christianity  of  the  Indians. 


I 


Since  the  attention  to  religion  commenced,  the  dosiro  (o  loam  to  rend  has  be- 
come vnry  siroiiir  niiii  tfeiieiiil.  A  book  of  5!!  Iiyiiins  is  printed  in  an  edition  of 
2,000,  which  it  iscxpectfd  will  I.e  deniarid.'d  iniineiliiitcly.  Tlie  first  of  the  former 
books  is  to  be  reprinteJ  in  an  edition  of  3,500  or  4000  copies. 

In  a  report  compiled  by  Mr.  Kingsbury,  (from  the  reports  received 
from  the  several  station.s,)  and  forwarded  to  the  War  department,  lie  re- 
marks in  regard  to  the  state  of  the  mission  during  the  past  year,  thus: 

"  We  have  also  been  permitted  to  witness  a  greater  improvement  in  the  schools 
and  ainonjj  tlie  people,  than  in  any  forme  year.  Wliat  was  pntioipaled  in  the  last 
report,  is  now  in  a  great  measure  realized.  The  CJospcl  has  had  a  commanding 
influence  in  different  parts  or  the  nation.  By  means  of  tliis  influniice,  and  so  far 
as  it  extends,  a  foundation  has  been  !aid  for"  an  entire  clian^o  in  the  feelings  and 
habits  of  a  considcral)le  number  of  Choctaws.  They  have  m  to  nly  laid  aside  their 
vices,  but  their  anuisemonls.  Instead  of  assembling  for  bail-plays  and  dances,  as 
formerly,  they  now  as:iunil)le  for  piayer  and  praise,  and  to  converse  on  suljects 
which  tend  tr)  their  moral  and  religious  iinprovuuient.  Parental  i.ifliience  is  now 
exerted,  to  a  c  )nsideriil)le  extent,  to  encourage  and  sustain  those  principles  and 
habits  which  are  inculcated  on  the  children  while  at  school.  A  powerful  impulse 
has  been  given  to  industry.  Hundreds  of  Choctaws  can  now  be  hired  to  t'o  many 
kinds  of  farming  work  on  reasonable  terms.  A  system  of  means  is  now  opt  ating, 
for  the  civil,  moral,  and  intellectual  improvement  of  the  Choctaws  ;  which,  if  not 
interrupted,  cannc  t  fail,  with  the  blessing  of  God,  to  produce  important  r.nd  happy 
results.  But  should  the  present  order  of  things  be  broken  up,  there  is  reason  to 
apprehend  that  all  the  ground  that  bus  been  gained  would  he  lost,  and  that  the  na- 
tion would  sink  to  rise  no  more.  1  regret  tlie  necessity  I  am  under  of  differing 
from  the  government  in  any  of  their  views  relative  to  the  Indians.  But  c:in(lor 
and  a  regard  to  what  1  anpreheiul  to  be  the  hnt  ivUicst.s,  both  of  the  red  and 
Wliile  ni.in,  constrain  me  to  say,  tint,  i-hould  lire  Clmclaws  be  brought  into  such 
circuurstances,  as  to  feel  tliemselves  ciuupelled,  coirtrary  to  the  wishes  of  the  best 
part  of  the  nation,  to  leave  Ihi!  country  they  now  inhabit,  I  cannot  but  anticipate 
consnquenc(\s  highly  disastrous  to  thenrselves,  and  eventually  injurious  to  cur  own 
country.  And  my  prayer  is,  that  God  in  his  holy  and  wise  providence,  would 
avert  such  a  calamity." 

Mr.  Wriglit,  aiother  of  the  missionaries  remarks, 

"  Their  former  amusements  are  abandoned,  the  Sabbath  is  observed,  many  at- 
tend to  the  duty  of  *aiirily  prayer,  and  an  almost  universal  desire  to  hear  the  Gos- 
pel prevails.  There  is  also  a  general  desire  awakened  among  the  people  to  read 
their  own  language  ;  the  Choctaw  books  are  sought  for,  with  an  eagerness  that  is 
truly  wondenul.  Such  has  been  the  cill  for  books  not  only  here,  but  in  the  other 
discricts  that  the  whole  of  the  edition  of  the  little  Choctaw  spelling  book  is  entire- 
ly expended,  and  another  edition  is  called  for  immediately.  It  is  thought  that  the 
edition  now  to  be  printed,  should  consist  of  3,500  or  4,000." 

The  following  are  extracts  from  a  letter  of  Mr.  Kingsbury  in  Jan. 
182«>. 

•'  To  form  a  correct  estimate  of  what  the  Gospfel,  with  its  meliorating  and 
civilizing  attendants,  has  accomplished  for  the  Indians,  we  must  compare  the 
present  state  of  those  who  have  in  some  degree  been  brought  under  its  influ- 
ence with  their  former  condition.  Judging  by  this  standard,  it  msy  be  fairly 
doubted  whether  the  past  eight  years  have  witnessed,  in  any  portion  of  the  civ- 
ilized world,  a  greater  irnpi'o\  e  ment  than  has  been  realized  in  the  civil,  moral, 
and  religious  state  of  the  Choctaws." 

Advance  in  the  Arts  of  Civilization. 

"  Other  evK  ces  of  improvement  we  have  in  the  increase  of  industry,  and 
a  consequent  advance  in  dress,  furniture,  and  all  the  comforts  and  conveniences 
of  civiUzed  life. 


.H 


CMhation  and  ChrManiiy  of  the  Indian,. 

r%     .  t      _      I  »  f1  I  O  lA 


67 


..U  h.been  ve.a..ea  ^JJ^^'  ^J^ll^^^^t^^l^^^^^^ 
been  kept  in  so  Rood  "'f  '    ,^^"  ■    ''  n.cci>nKS,  the    ^^'^^''XZ^^^'^  "^ 
year.     M  connc.ls  un<l  o  >u   l.H,c       ^^^^^^^^^,,^^1,,^  '''r , -f  n^u   e  for  their 
Jlortl^ern  and  western  ^^^^  > ;,  manUes.ed  to  «  '  ^' ^^.^  ".'^  that  of  neW 
them  richly  ch.d.     A  «'l:  ,,  ^'   pi.ed  in  a  manner  not  >ntcuoi 
honses,  and  some  are  aheatly  »upp  ^^ 

Pettier  in  our  own  c,.u.Ury      ^^^^^^  ,^^^  ^  ^^l^t^^^  '  °-'^ 

ni  ,  hogs.  22.047  ;  ^'-^P^^^^.J,;-:':;:;.:'  7,   coope.  s    s-ps     ^J^^        , 
360;    waggons,  '^^ '^'^"^.u    Choctaw  tWd.es,  22  ;    hcl«^'^^^  who 

8hops,2,  .^v»»de   men  wth  U>      ^^^  ^,^^  ^,,^„,  w>th  a  W^^^^^^^^^ 
course  of  Instrucfon,  ,^'"",,V,  .destitute  of  property,  g'°:\'[  ^^^e,  853   hogs, 

a  year  ago  were  -^'^'f  .^  ^'^^  ,  ere  are  now  188  1>"'--.   f^^  ^f.,r  25  scholars, 
miming  from  place  to    .Ucc.u^^^^  ^^  ^,^^.      1  school  .,,„„^uy  tor 

^'-^r'''.T:r'^!:^U  >^-  ap,>rcM--;l,*;'^^;!,f  present  year  they 


««  The  norllieasi  uisii'v..       .    'f  uiocusmiui  ^  —   rr    ^ 

the  estahlishment  and  supp"  I  o'  ,-„„ilar  objects. 

Ee  appropriated  ^»-;!\^^  \"      "  ^.uVk:  spirit,  I  -""'''„rf"   a  large  c'al-pit. 

..  As  an  evidence  of  '"';">  J    a  shop,  chopped  ^vood  foi  ^      S  ,^^^,^^  f„, 

neighborhood  the  natives  >a^c  bm.^^^     ^^^l     ,  U""^  ^vith  their  own 

$300  more  annually,   «oi  uu      , 

.hops  in  other  places.  ^  .^   ^^^^  .^  ^^^^^^  1829. 

The  following  is  from  a  letter  o.  M  .  .  ^^^^  ^^^^^  , 

of  the  natives.    I  it-)  aic  i        ,,,iy  there  are  not  ^w.  ^  ^g  „ot  used  twice 

^ith  those  of  white  men.    H    '    !  ^.  ^  ^,^  .^,^^^  states    who  have        .       ^^^^  ^,^^^. 

Residing  together  '"j^ ^^  P;       ..hich  the  ^'^"'^'^^^^^  regulate  property 

the  quantity  o    ardent       '  ,^^,^,,  I'^'f  "'l'  ,h  ^'e  imP"'^='"*^'^ '"  '  P 

nast      Several  very  good  laws        ^^he  people  attach  mo  e  ,       ,hey  have 

S  the  conduct  "*  -J^lf       'oospeu'to  -Jf  "^fj^  ^in  the  enjoyments 

intereslins  "^f^r.nauo.  m  J      ^^^^^^^  ^^^^^^  ^^'ir  ^r  inc  ea^nr,  acquaint- 

brmore  particular. 

cmCKASAVVS.  ^^^  ^^g 


68 


Civilization  and  Christianity  of  the  Indians. 


ifc 


^> 


.1 

^i!  if 


missionary  stations  Tlie  scliools  contain  about  one  hundred  members. 
During  tlio  two  i^ast  years  tliere  has  been  a  prevailing  attention  to 
religious  instruction.  In  October  1828,  one  of  the  missionaries 
writes, 

*•  Tlie  nation  has  recently  formed  some  wholesome  li'wi,  and  to  our  astonish- 
ment tliey  are  all  strictly  enforced.  Whiskey  is  buiiislu'd  from  the  coimtry.  A 
thief  is  punished  with  thirty-nine  lashes,  without  regaid  to  color,  a(ce  or  sex, 
and  is  compelled  to  return  the  stolen  property  or  an  etpiivalent.  Hue  hundi'ed 
men  (twenty-five  out  of  each  district)  are  to  carry  the  laws  into  execution, 
and  are  paid  by  the  nation. 

«'  These  thing's  are  encourajjing-,  and  I  see  nothing  in  the  way,  ifthe.se  people 
are  unmolested,  of  their  becoiiiing  civilized,  enlightened,  anil  lia[)py. 

"  The  work  of  reformation  is  aircidy  comnieiiceil  ;  and  if  they  could  but 
enjoy  tranquillity  of  mind,  1  have  no  doubt  bui  that  it  woidd  rapidly  advance." 

From  the  reports  of  missionaries  in  July  18-28,  it  appears  that  a  re- 
markable change  had  taken  place  among  the  Chickasaws  with  respect 
to  tcmijcranrc.  "  I  am  informed,"  says  Mr.  Holmes,  "  that  it  is  very 
common  for  the  full  Indians  to  purchase  coffee,  sugar,  and  flour,  in 
the  stores  on  the  borders  vd'  the  nation,  but  no  wliiskri/.  This  last  ar- 
ticle appears  by  common  consent  to  have  been  banished  from  the  na- 
tion. Wi:  hmic  not  seen  an  intoxicated  natine  diirimr  the  past  i/ear." 
There  was  also  at  this  period  an  uncommonly  general  attention  to 
religion.  Of  late  the  agitation  produced  by  the  fears  of  a  removal 
seems  to  have  drawn  their  minds  from  this  subject,  and  disheartened 
the  chiefs  in  their  exertions  to  enforce  the  salutary  laws  which  had 
been  enacted.  In  the  latest  view  of  the  operation  of  the  Board  it  is 
remarked  as  follows. 

"The  condition  of  the  Chickasaws  is  obviously  improving.  Tho  chiefs  are  more 
decided  in  favor  of  tlio  schools  anil  the  preaching  ot  the  (jospcl.  Laws  enacted 
aifainst  the  introduction  of  whiskey  were  vciy  strictly  enforced,  and  a  great  re- 
formation occasioned  for  a  while  ;  but  of  late,  some  change  of  rulers,  with  anxiety 
respecting  reinov.d,liave  made  the  laws  to  be  less  regarded." 

Our  readers  will  be  interpreted  in  the  perusal  of  tiie  following  extracts 
from  the  answers  of  the  Chickasaws  at  three  different  intervals  in 
182(5,  to  the  propositions  made  by  the  treaty  commissioners  on  the  part 
of  the  United  States.  We  quote  from  the  official  account  of  their 
proceedings,  published  by  Congress. 

«•  We  have  to  look  to  our  Father  to  still  extend  his  strong'  arm  of  protection 
to  us,  until  we  are  mtn-e  enligh'ened  and  advanced  in  civilization.  We  know 
that  this  is  a  very  important  subject  before  the  natiim.  We,  the  commissioners, 
on  the  part  of  the  nation,  have  to  act  agreeably  to  the  voice  of  the  People.  IVe 
are  desimus  of  jiromnting  our  rising  generation  into  a  state,  of  respectability.  We 
cannot  act  contrary  to  the  will  of  the  riation.  TItey  are  determined  on  staying  in 
their  native  country ;  under  these  circumstances  we  can  only  say  to  our  brothers, 
the  Commissioners,  that  they  are  still  opposed  to  selling  any  more  of  their  lands, 
consequently  we  can  do  no  move." 

"  You  say  that  the  country  we  have  is  greatly  too  larg-e  for  us  ;  we  havealways 
taken  the  talks  of  our  father,  tlie  President,  heretofore,  and  reduced  our  lands  to 
yery  small  bounds;  not  more  than  what  will  support  us  comfortably  :  We,  as 
well  ai  our  white  brothers,  have  a  rising  generation  to  provide  for.     We  have 


^ 


s.  >  s 


Civilization  and  Christianity  of  the  Indians. 


C9 


.f   fin.Vinc  the  came  will  not  do  for  a 
abandoned  the  Ulea  of  hunting  for  a  3;;;;f-|:;,^,,,,,e';  „>  conu-  -ongst  ns 
sunnoi  t.    our  talhcr,  the  Fre.i  lent,  nui  o  i  ^   j        „„,,  „„  y,alavg  all   he 

Jn'ldv  lice  us  to  a  state  ofc.v.h/.at.on  ;  '«;",/^',, ■,,;„„.  ,,,„„«  for  Ike  support  oj 

mmmmsmm 

i  not  the  case  with  your  reel  c  .      e    ,  t he     . ^^  ^^^^  ^  ^,  ^^.  ^,^^  ^  ^j,^,,,  „  u 

friend  lor  a  new  one  '^^e^Un  tc     Stat«  have  always  prolectccl  -^'J^^'^^. 
dren.     We  know  that  the  Uiutcct  »^  ,    j  ^^  protection  West  ot  the  Missis 

iiiiiiPliSi 

consequences  may  ^^ J'"     ..     f  j  .^g  would  coine  to  the  same  / 

much  inipossiblc  ♦"' \"  "'^gu^,^  Hiat  those  tnhes  that  ''■^V^.'f,.    '  [..^^  tl.(.se  uihes 

:-;s  s.;n  »r;^«.  *;- -x»:  ^^-^^  '"■"-" = 

injuslicoof  the  """''P"  -",?^„"  ant»  Barhoa,,  extracted  fro.n  lus 
Um.rkal.le  .c»tin;o.,y  ta   10":    -  „„  l„d,a„  affa.rs 

letter  In  1«  to  the  Cha.rinn  ,  ..  ,„„„,„eirmincl.,  by  imbaa.s  i;.  "V 

of  them  have  recUmed  the  loie   ,  t- 


'f4 


'^ 


70 


Civilization  and  Christianity  of  the  Indians. 


r' 


not  only  for  their  iilxxk-,  l)iit  for  tlie  ailminisfriition  of  justice,  and  for  reViR-ious 
Wor.,lii|).  And  wlaii  ll>fy  liuvt-  so  doiii-,  ijoii  send  ijoiir  .\|renl,  to  tell  them  they 
nuisl  surrender  their  country  to  thi  while  inim,  uiid  re-c.oinniit  iheniseives  to  some 
new  desert,  and  substitute  as  the  means  of  tiieir  suhsistence  liie  precarious  chase 
for  the  certainty  ofcuhivaiioii.  The  \»\i;  of  mir  native  hmd  isiinplanteil  iii  every 
huma-.  boioin,  whether  he  roams  the  wilderness,  or  is  found  in  the  hi|,'hest  state 
of  civilization.  This  attachment  increases  with  the  comforts  of  <mr  country,  and 
is  strongest  when  these  comtbrts  are  the  fruits  of  our  own  exertions,  We  have 
imparted  this  feeling' to  many  of  the  tribes  by  our  own  measures.  Can  it  be 
matter  of  surprise,  that  they  bear,  with  unmixed  indifjiiation,  of  what  seems  to 
them  our  ruthless  purpose  of  expelliiiiy  them  from  their  countrv  thus  endeared  ? 
They  see  that  our  jji-ofcssions  are  insincere— that  our  promises  have  been  broken  ; 
thai  the  happiness  of  the  Indian  is  a  clieap  sacrifice  to  the  actiuisilioii  of  new 
lands  ;  and  when  attempted  to  be  soothed  by  an  assurance  that  the  country  to 
which  we  propose  to  send  them  is  desirable,  they  emphatically  ask  us,  what  new 
pledges  can  you  (jive  us  that  we  shall  not  ag'ain  be  exiled  when  it  is  your  wish  to 
possess  thosJ  lands  '     It  is  easier  to  state  than  to  answer  this  (luestion." 

The  following  is  a  testimony  to  the  same  purpose  from  Mr.  Calhoun. 

"Almost  all  of  the  tiibes  proposed  to  be  efl'ected  by  the  arrang'ement,  are  more 
or  less  advanced  in  the  arts  of  civilized  life,  and  there  is  scarcely  one  of  them, 
which  have  not  the  establishment  of  schools  in  the  nation,  uHbrding  at  once  the 
means  of  moral,  re!i|,'ioiis,  and  intellectual  improvement.  These  schools  have 
been  established  for  the  most  part  by  religunis  societies,  with  the  countenance 
and  aid  of  liie  government,  and  on  every  principle  of  humanity  the  continuance 
of  similar  advantages  of  education  ouKJit  to  be  extended  to  them  in  their  new 
residence.  There  is  another  point  which  ai)pears  to  be  indispensable  to  be 
guaided,  in  order  to  render  the  condition  of  this  race  less  afflicting.  One  of  the 
greatest  evils  to  which  they  are  subject,  is  that  incessant  pressure  of  our  popula- 
tion, which  forces  them  from  scat  to  seat,  without  allowing  time  for  that  moral 
andintellectualimprovement,  for  which  they  appear  to  be  naturally  eminently 
.susceptible  To  guard  against  this  evil,  so  fatal  to  the  race,  there  ought  to  be 
the  strongest  and  the  most  solemn  assurance,  that  the  country  given  them 
should  be  theirs,  as  a  permanent  home  for  themselves  and  their  posterity,  with- 
out ,  eing  disturbed  by  the  encroachments  of  imr  citizens."* 

The  following  is  another  testimony  from  Col.  McKenney  in  regard 
to  the  increasing  civilization  and  Christianity  of  the  Southern  tribes. 

"  The  present  system,  whilst  it  maintains  the  dignity  and  purity  of  mo'-al  and  re- 
ligious instriiclionikeeps  also  m  constant  operation  the  means  which  arc  now  lead- 
ingso  many  Indians  to  an  ac(iuaintance  with  the  domestic  arls.with  mechanics,  and 
with  agriculture.  U  has  been  by  the  union  of  these,  aided,  it  is  true,  by  the  ab- 
sence of  game,  that  the  present  system  for  civili^.ing  the  Indians  has,  in  the  couiue 
of  a  very  few  years-,  produced  such  a  striking  change  in  the  habits  and  practices 
of  several  of  the  tribes,  among  whom  it  has  beiui  put  in  operation.  Upwards  ot 
eleven  hundred  children,  as  has  been  shewn  in  my  report  ^f  'he  30th  ultimo, 
are  now  having  imparted  to  them,  and  successfully  too,  the  bicsmgs  of  civdized 
and  Christian  life,  whilst  the  older  Indians,  struck  with  its  transforming  effects, 
are  themselves  practising,  to  a  very  great  extent,  the  lessons  which  they  receive 
from  their  more  fortunate  offspring  ;  and,  in  proof  of  their  admiration  of  it,  have 

•  Wo  need  scarcely  remind  our  readers  that  "  the  strongest  and  the  most  solemn  assurance" 
of  this  nature  has  already  been  rcpoalcdiv  Riven  to  llie  Clieiokees  and  other  ho.itliern  rilKS 
h,  ro-ard  t  .  llieir  present  home  ;  and  how  could  it  bo  made  stronger  or  more  solemn  in  re- 
gard"lo  another  residence. 


Ci.in.a<ionan^CAm^i«nif2/«/^'-^''^'*««-'- 


71 


vcsouiccs  to  its  Slip  port. 

Th.y  may  be  con.ulcrcd  ^' ^  .locuiT.ont  from  which  WC  have 

Hi  nui  ration,  &idutanj.     intm        j  ...        p 

the  improveinonts  among  the  &ou  ^ 

„,te„  ..f  ll.«  """•'■  iXd. .."»<"•"  "'■  ""  "■;'•'  .'■Tr  Item    re  »...■  >K-cc..<l> 

.„„„.=,■«  i...i»»  '"5: '  I '  Mw».;i".  "»>;?• '"r"  ?r  .r  ;^  '» >"« 
f,r„.i»6<>» ''\" " ,, "  u„.n..i.ii. i,cc,....c ..1 ;';™,  ,,s.".d'''■«">'"v'''• 
E'»W  l.y  1»"-  »  ""  7""-    ,.  ,„  „„  .„e  consequences  of  the 


79 


Civilization  and  Christianity  of  the  Indian* 


the  influence,  wliich  the  rompfirntivrhf  frw,  who  have  hitherto  been 
educated,  hase  exerted  ulreudy  on  the  clmriicter  of  the  nation,  especially 
tliiit  of  llie  Cherokees.  Let  tlu-m  runiember  that  tliis  influence  will 
Btill  continue  to  spread,  while  there  will  he  added  to  it  the  influence  of 
a  much  larger  miniher  of  educiUed  Indinv,  ,  (,,  i.jn-.bcr  increasing  each 
year)  who  will  leave  the  schools  aiinn-iUy  fur  ten  years  to  come.  Let 
it  he  remembered  that  in  the  mein  iiiik;  i'  .1/1  proportion  of  those, 
whose  attachment  to  old  habits  of  life  is  most  inveterate,  will  have  pass- 
ed away,  while  their  places  are  tilled  by  those  whose  habits  have  been 
forme-d  in  a  greater  degree  under  the  influence  of  civilization  arid 
Christianity  ;  that  the  number  of  schools  and  missionary  stations  will 
also  be  increased,  while  the  obstacles  which  have  impeded  their  suc- 
cess are  daily  diminishing  ;— let  all  these  circumstance'  '  ■  m  riered 
without  prejudice,  and  none  can  help  acknowledging  that  there  is  the 
fairest  prospect  of  the  full  and  perfect  civilization  of  the  nation  of  the 
Cherokees,  and  that  too  at  no  distant  period  of  time.  Provided  that 
they  be  left  to  the  undisturbed  i)ower  of  the  causes  now  m  operation— 
that  they  be  not  brokcii  up  and  driven  off"  to  the  wilds  beyond  the  Mis- 
sissippi, nor  left  to  sutler  from  the  oppression  of  the  State  of  Georgia 
—we  think  there  exists  the  most  rational  ground  for  snrh  a  conclusion, 
not  merely  in  re-rard  to  this  tribe,  but,  at  a  somewhat  more  distant  in- 
terval, in  regard"  to  their  neighbors,  the  Choctaws,  Chichasaws  and 

Creeks.  ,    .  ,    ,  •  1   •         j 

The  statements  wc  liave  exhibited  will  proh:voly  be  met  with  incred- 
ulity in  the  minds  of  not  a  few,  and  with  absolute  contradiction  on  the 
part  of  others.  There  .seems  to  be  a  deep  rooted  superstition  (we 
know  not  what  else  to  call  it)  in  many  minds,  that  the  Indians  are 
really  drstiiml,  as  if  there  were  some  fatality  in  the  case,  never  to  be 
christianized,  but  gradually  to  decay  till  they  become  totally  extinct. 
This  superstitious  idea  is  equally  irrational  and  unchristian  ;  and  it  13 
every  man's  duty  to  examine  facts  with  an  unprejudiced  mind,  and  to 
give  accredited  statements  their  true  weight. 

As  to  the  proceedings  of  Congresson  this  subject,  it  is  most  evidently 
the  duty  of  that  body  to  learn  the  truth,  from  eye  witnesses  who  are 
competent  to  decide,  who  have  had  intimate  and  personal  acquaint- 
ance with  the  character  of  those  tribes,  whose  welfare  would  be  so 
deeply  aflTected  by  the  measures  which  have  been  proposed  in  regard 
to  them.  Those  who  hold  the  destiny  of  these  tribes  in  their  power 
cannot  he  too  humane,  too  deliberate,  nor  too  cautious  in  tiieir  deci- 
sions. They  should  never  rest  satisfied  with  second-hand  inlormalion, 
nor  with  the  declaration:;  of  interested  men. 


) 

I  fl  ■ 

bif    ! 

"ill  ^ 
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.d«' Miifeii.,.  .  UK'*    ~i 


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